A New Age
by shieldliger001
Summary: If you have not read OMAA I highly suggest you read that before starting this story. Austin is the youngest son in his family. His oldest brother Devin loves to tease him because of Austin obsession with Pokémon. After a visit to their father's lab, an accident occurs that sends Austin and two others to another world. When Austin arrives, he realizes he is the oldest?
1. Chapter 1

Hey guys, shield here. This is a little something my brother wanted me to write. You should have seen him, he had this ten page outline of how the story would go. I made him condense it down for me. So here is the first chapter. I personally not to sure about this, but if it goes well I will be sure to post more. I will admit that I like the idea behind the story, and I think that this will go great with OMAA. This will go along with OMAA, and it will be sort of a back story for two new characters that will also appear in OMAA in the next chapter.

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 **Chapter 1**

 **The Last Will be First**

 **Third person POV**

Texas is a big place, home to almost thirty million people. It is the largest state in population in the Untied States. It is also home to probably the largest Pokémon freak in the entire U.S. Austin Lee, was no stranger to the franchise. He had been watching it since he was five years old. He practically worshiped the fictional creatures. Because of this he was often bullied by kids who had finally gotten over the series, but it didn't stop him from playing the games on his DS, or drawing the characters in his sketch book. Today was no exception. Austin ran up to his house and slammed the door open. He had just gotten Pokémon Alpha Sapphire for his fifteenth birthday, and it was taking all of his effort not to run up the stairs to his room. As he neared his door, he walked by his two older brothers. They were playing Call of Duty Zombies on their Xbox.

"Looks like the Pokéman is back from school already. I figured that he would." Devin, Austin's oldest brother yelled as he shot some zombies with Mustang and Sally.

"You know that Mom told you to stop calling him that." Jonah, the second oldest, replied as he chucked a couple of grenades on the ground. Devin payed no heed as he continued his banter.

"Hey Pokénerd, did you catch anymore electric rats or did you just cry when you found out that they don't exist.

"Devin stop before you make us lose. This is the highest round I have ever been on." Jonah repeated.

"Fine. Don't get too comfortable Dad wants us to visit him at the lab. Mom said she would be driving us over there in about ten minutes." Devin said as he returned to his game. Austin walked to his room. He thought about all of the people that had ever picked on him. Many of the bullies at his school had said things that had hurt his feelings, but the biggest bully of them all was his nineteen-year-old brother, Devin. He ragged on Austin ever chance he got about his hobby. Despite this, Austin couldn't help but still love his older brother.

 **Austin's POV**

"Time to play some games." I said as I tried to find my DS. It didn't take long for me to find the black device. I popped my new game into the system and turned it on.

"Austin! Time to go! Devin and Jonah are already in the car!" My Mom called from down the stairs.

"Of course, just when I start to play." I muttered under my breath. "I'm coming!" I turned the DS off and ran down to the car.

"How many times have I told you not to run down the stairs like that?" Mom asked me as I reached the bottom step.

"Sorry. I'll try not to do it next time." I apologized. We then headed outside to the car.

 **Devin's POV**

"Do I have to go to another one of Dad's stupid functions?" I asked as we pulled out of the driveway. "I'm nineteen-years-old. I can stay home by myself." I complained.

"You still live under my roof. You will do as I say." Mom replied.

"Fine, whatever. Please tell me that this won't be very long." I replied.

Pretty soon, we were on I-35 heading to the labs at the Space-Tec aerospace plant near Dallas. Since we were family, we had special privileges when visiting the plant. It really is a cool place to visit since they build planes for all sorts of things. My dad is a scientist in their research department. He never really showed us what he worked on for security reasons, but he did show us where he worked and how the planes were built. Apparently, today was the exception. Dad went out of his way to get us to see his new project. We silently pulled up to the security, and waited for him to pass us through. Since we were the family of one of the workers, we were quickly passed through. The one thing about Space-Tec, is that they take everything very seriously. They practically have their own military. Not to mention that there is a naval base not ten miles away. The fact is, there was a zero percent chance of this place ever being attacked or broken into. We pulled into the visitor's parking and got out. We had to be escorted to the labs which were built underneath the factory. We were led to an elevator. The doors opened and we all stepped in. One of the men in our escort placed a key into a lock and twisted it. The elevator doors closed and we descended into the research labs. When the doors finally opened, we were taken to our father's Lab. There were about fifteen people in the lab. I quickly picked out two of the scientist in the room. One was my father and the other was a close family friend, and father of my girlfriend. When my dad saw us, he smiled then began to walk towards. When he moved, my eyes widened.

"Emily! What are you doing here?" I shouted. Every set of eyes in the room turned towards me. I faltered slightly then slowly made my way over to her. She was a year younger then me with dark brown hair. It was a deep contrast to my red hair, but that was the only thing that was different aside from gender and height. She was a little over five foot nine and had lightly tanned skin whereas, I was six foot four with pale skin.

"My dad wanted me to see the trial run for some reason. He gave me that whole 'history in the making' and 'greatest advancement in the world' speech." she said, her voice as sweet as honeysuckle.

"Yeah, apparently my dad did the same thing to my mom. So, here I am now." I replied. Both of our dads stared at us in disbelief.

"Leonard, you didn't tell me that your daughter was dating my son." I overheard my dad whisper.

"Carl, I honestly didn't know about it." Leonard whispered back. Then Leonard cleared his throat.

"If everyone will follow me. We will show you this extraordinary device."

"Well, it's time for the boredom parade." Emily sighed.

"No kidding." I agreed.

 **Austin's POV**

"This machine is what we are calling a trans-flux drive. It is very hard to explain how this works but it is supposed cause the user to travel faster than light. We have been working on this for NASA and today will be its first test. We will be trying to send this device into a room in our other lab fifty miles away." My dad said. As he showed us the weird looking device. Getting fairly bored, I pulled out my 3DS and began to play. I had just gotten my starter when my dad grabbed my DS.

"Son, this is a very important device. Your video game can wait until after you all see the test." he said sternly. Dad handed the DS to one of the guards. The guard looked at it in confusion.

"If you will all follow us, we will begin the test." Dr. Leonard said. As we left, I noticed that the guard which had my DS, was no longer carrying it. I looked back at the room we had just come from and saw it lying on the machine my dad had been working on. When nobody was looking, I ran back to the room. I quickly picked up the game system, when I felt a hand on my shoulder.

"Austin, you knit whit. We aren't supposed to be in here!" Devin exclaimed.

"If either of our parents find us in here they will kill us for not sticking with the group!" Emily added.

"I got my game, let's go." I said as I made my way to the door. Suddenly the room was engulfed in deep red lights, and the door we entered was sealed with a large blast door.

"This can't be good." I muttered. Devin and Emily both ran up to the window that looked into the room and began to bang on the glass.

 **Jonah's POV**

Everyone had begun talking as we went back into the control room. Dad and Leonard, were over at a control panel pressing buttons. That was when the countdown started. I looked up to watch the test, but to my horror Devin, Emily, and Austin were on the other side banging on the window. There faces covered in pure terror.

"Dad! Devin, Emily, and Austin are in the room still!" I yelled. Dad looked up in pure shock then ran over to the glass.

"Leonard, shut the machine off!" he yelled. By now, everyone in the room was crowded around the window staring at the coming disaster.

"Carl! The device is already past its critical mass! I can't shut her down!" Leonard shouted back. The computer began to countdown. The room was frantic now.

"Ten," Devin and Emily began to bang even harder.

"Nine," Austin ran up and began to join both Emily and Devin.

"Eight," Mom shoved herself to the front and began to cry.

"Seven," Devin grabbed a fire extinguisher from a rack a began to try and break the glass.

"Six," Dad ran over to the control panel and began to press a few buttons.

"Five," The room was filled with Devin, Emily, and Austins pleas to stop the device.

"Four,"

"Devin, I can't open the door." dad said as he began to cry.

"Three," Devin nodded his acceptance.

"Two,"

"God, please let them live, I beg you don't let them die for my mistake!" Dad shouted

"One," Devin, Austin, and Emily held hands.

"Dad, we love..." that was all they could say before they disappeared. Dad raced to the phone on the control panel.

"Get me the LZ! Now! Yes this is Carl Lee...The machine made it? Good, did you see any kids at the LZ. A fifteen-year-old, an eighteen-year-old and a nineteen-year-old? You didn't? Are you sure they didn't land anywhere else? You found what? How is that possible? I-I s-see. G-goodbye." Dad hung up the phone and began to cry. "It should have been me! If I was with them, this wouldn't have happened!" He cried.

"Sir, I think it was my fault." one of the guards spoke up. I left your boy's game in there by accident." the guard said solemnly.

"I shouldn't have taken it away!" Dad shouted.

"Mom, Dad. Everything will be ok." I cried. Mom ran over to dad and began to cry into his shoulder. I ran to them and we all cried together.

 **Third Person POV**

Darkness, that was the only way for Austin, Devin, and Emily to describe it. They were floating in darkness, nothingness. Complete emptiness.

"Are we dead?" Austin asked.

"I don't know. I can still feel my heart beat. If we were dead, we wouldn't feel that would we?" Emily asked.

"I don't think so, but then again I have never been dead before." Devin replied shakily.

"I still have my DS." Austin said in an almost cheerful sort of way.

"It's because of that piece of crap, that we are in this mess to begin with." Devin growled.

"You are an idiot. I can turn it on and it can give us some light!" Austin said. Austin turned on the device and it came to life. The light showed absolutely nothing.

" _You are smarter then I thought Austin. I am glad that I made the right choice."_ A voice in the darkness praised.

"Who's there! Show yourself." Devin demanded.

" _My my, impatient aren't we. Very well then, here I am."_ out of the darkness appeared a light green alien fairy thing. It had large blue eyes that seemed almost unnatural. There were two antenna sticking from the creature's forehead. The head looked somewhat like a tear drop. It had two stubby arms and feet. Finally there was a set of gossamer wings on its back. Everyone's eyes grew wide, but Austin's were wide for a different reason. He recognized this creature.

"Celebi." he whispered.

" _That's me kid. Where is Jonah? He is supposed to be here as well. Oh well, cause and effect is a hard thing to predict. This should work out just fine."_ the legendary said. _"Ok, on to business. I need you kids for a mission. I have watched nearly all of the possibilities and have decided that the three of you would be the best choice for the assignment."_

"Hey, you stupid green freakazoid, we aren't going to do anything for you. For all we know, we are in a coma in the hospital." Devin said angrily.

" _If you interrupt me again, I will have to do something I really don't want to do."_ Celebi warned. The irritation was becoming very evident.

"You are just figment of my imagination, you are only here because of my brother's stupid obsession with that Pokémon crap!" Devin yelled.

" _This is your last warning! I will not tell you again!"_ Celebi yelled.

"Get out of my head, you green mutated freak!" Devin yelled.

" _I warned you. I probably should get out of this dimension first."_ Celebi snapped its fingers and the darkness disappeared. It was replaced with large trees and bushes. Celebi floated over to Devin and he took a swing at the fairy-like creature. Celebi easily dodged the jab and stuck its hand into the young adult's chest. Devin began to glow as Celebi withdrew its hands. The legendary held a large pocket watch. It opened the watch and pulled the stick out. _"This is a life watch. Every human, animal, and Pokémon has one. I am the only one aside from a select few that can reset one of these clocks. After I reset one, I am forever barred from tampering with it again. I really wish you didn't make me do this. It will drop your success rate down to ninety-six percent."_ Celebi explained. Celebi closed its eyes, then opened them again. A second later, a blue bubble appeared and a blue Mew appeared. _"Jeffric, you know why I called you here."_ Celebi said.

" _Yes, I realize what you want me to do. I am not as good at this as my wife is, so don't blame me if something goes wrong."_ the Mew said. The Mew closed his eyes and began to glow. He touched Devin and it seemed like Devin's soul was launched out of his body.

"What are you doing to him!" Emily screamed as she watched Celebi begin to turn the stick on Devin's life clock.

" _You will see."_ Celebi answered. Devin's actual body began to shrink. The body collapsed on the ground as it began to disappear under the clothes. A few seconds later, the glowing stopped, and Celebi placed the clock back inside the pile of clothes. _"Jeffric, you can put his spirit back in now."_

" _Yeah, yeah, I know."_ the Mew began to glow and my brothers soul was shoved into the pile of clothes.

" _Because of your brother's choice, we have to adjust the both of you also. It won't be as drastic as your brother but you both will need to get used to it."_

"Stay away from me! I already died once! I don't want to die again!" Emily screeched. Austin just stared straight ahead in confusion.

" _I'm not going to kill you. You are going to just notice a few changes, that's all."_ Celebi reassured. Before there were any more protest. Celebi quickly started the process. Emily was so shocked that she only held her mouth open. Austin was too terrified to move. A few minutes later, both Emily and Austin were on the forest floor, panting.

" _Don't blame me for this. If Devin hadn't of forced me to do this, neither of y'all would be like this. In fact, there was only a point two three five percent chance that this wouldn't happen. As a final apology present, here are a few things you will need for this journey. This bag is filled with supplies for your journey. The second bag has clothing for you three, and the last bag will have, well, you will see. Be sure to look at those papers in your bag. You will need them for your journey. I also wrote out everything you will need to do in a notebook in the first bag. I am sorry that we had to do things this way but it is for the best. If you complete this mission, I can have Palkia return you to your own world, but you will be going as is. For that, I am sorry."_ Celebi said as it teleported away.

 **Austin's POV**

I don't know what shocked me more, the fact that I just saw something that shouldn't exist or the fact that I had just become a pre-teen again.

"Austin, how old do I look?" Emily asked, her voice was a lot more childish then it was just five minutes before.

"About eight or nine. What about me?" I said.

"Eleven, maybe twelve. Wait where is Devin?" Emily asked as she struggled to her feet.

"My guess is that he is over there." I pointed. I got up and quickly scrambled over to my brother's clothes. I began to move them around until found something. I didn't want to believe what I found but there was no way my sight and touch could deceive me.

"Emily? What is in that third bag?" I asked the terror stricken girl. She slowly peeked inside the bag.

"These are kid clothes? What do we need these... you have got to be kidding me." Emily staggered to her feet and stumbled towards me. She looked in the pile of clothes where Devin once stood. She looked at in complete surprise. "Devin? This can not be happening. That can't be Devin. Can it? How did that stupid bug fairy thing come up with the conclusion that a little kid would only decrease our chances by a little?" She asked incredulously. I could only shrug as I looked at my older brother.

"Check the bag for those papers, and um bring some of those kid things over here." Emily handed me the clothing bag and the bag with the papers in it. I opened the first bag and instantly found several papers. The first three papers I found were birth certificates. Each one had our names on it. There were three problems with the certificates. For one it said that me, Emily, and Devin all shared the last name Lee. The second problem was the birth years. Mine said I was born in 2004, while Emily was born in 2007. Devin's said that he was born in 2010! the last problem was that it was stamped 'approved by Kanto Census Bureau. We weren't in our world anymore. We were in the Pokémon version of Earth. "Emily, you are eight according to this. I am eleven, and Devin is five." I said calmly.

"You are telling me that my boyfriend is barely older then a toddler? How could this day get any worse?" Emily cried. Her crying must have startled something because the ground began to shake like an earthquake.

"Emily, we need to move right now. There is something big coming and we probably don't want to wait to find out what it is." I began to grab the three heavy knapsacks and Emily barely managed to pick up the sleeping Devin. Before any of us could decide which way to go, a large snake-like rock monster broke through the trees.

"What is that thing!" Emily screeched in pure terror.

"It's an Onix! The rock snake Pokémon. Run!" I yelled.

 **Celebi's POV**

"Don't you think you went a little over board with that oldest kid? _"_ Jeffric asked as we met up in the Hall of Origins. _"_ I mean seriously. A five year old? _"_

"I was aiming for ten but...my...hand...slipped a little. _"_ I admitted.

"Did you check the endings of these time-lines? _"_ Jeffric asked.

"Um, no, I didn't. I knew I was forgetting something. _"_ I said with a face palm. I jumped back into the present time line then floated to the ones that branched from my decision. _"_ Oh, no, no, no! That's not good. Out of the first ten lines, only one allows them to succeed! This isn't good at all! _"_ I yelled. _"_ I need to go back and repack their gear. That improves their chances by ten percent. Darn I need to change everything for that twerp. How did I screw this up? _"_

 **Emily's POV**

"Are we safe?" I huffed. While running, we found a trail that lead us out of the forest and into an open road. The weird snake creature that was chasing us, decided not to continue the chase.

"I guess, it knew that it was heading into human territory." Austin said as he collapsed onto the concrete. "How is Devin?" I looked down at the bundle I was holding. Devin was somehow still asleep, despite all of the noise and running.

"He is fine, considering. Do...do you think he is normal in the head? I mean that weird bug thing did the exact same thing to us as he did to him."

"I don't know. I hope so, then again, I don't want him to be."

"What do you mean?" I asked in confusion.

"Hello, he is a freaking five-year-old! If he is himself on the inside, what do you think he is going to think?" Austin yelled.

"I guess you have a point. Uh-oh."

"What?"

"I think, he is waking up." I said.

"This isn't good." Austin muttered.

 **Devin's POV**

I could feel myself waking from that terrible dream. The idea that anything I saw was really, was completely preposterous. 'That was a good nap. Hey, why can't I move? What's going on here?' I thought as I struggled to move.

"Devin? Are you ok? How do you feel?" a voice said. It was close to Austin's except that it was to high pitched. I opened my eyes, but the light was to bright so I instantly closed them again.

"Austin! What's going on? Why can't I move?" I tried to say, but all that came out were few recognizable words.

"Devin, you might want to slow down with the talking and breath." Austin's strange sounding voice said. I tried opening my eyes again. This time the light wasn't as overwhelming and I was able to see. I found myself staring up at two faces. Two very large faces. "Devin, you aren't going to believe this, but you aren't exactly normal anymore. You kind of um...un-aged. You are about five years old." Austin said. I instantly rejected this notion without even thinking it through.

"No, that isn't possible. Why would you even come up with something like that?" I asked angrily. My voice became slightly more understandable. Somehow, I knew that something was wrong. Everything was just to disproportional for there not to be something wrong.

"I know that you think that sounds crazy, but it's true." Austin said. "We will explain some more once, we find a place to stay," he continued. 'This can't be real. There is no way that this is happening.' I thought to myself. I tried to get Austin's attention, but I couldn't even form a complete sentence at the moment. Despite just waking up, I had expended all of my energy. I quickly fell asleep.

 **Austin's POV**

"Do you think he was really there?" Emily asked as we hiked down the road.

"He's definitely in there. He said to many words to not be in there. Besides, he was saying my name. He butchered it but he still said it.

"Austin, we need to stop. Every step I take, something is about to fall off of me. Holding your brother isn't helping either."

"Ok, we will try to find a place to stop." he looked around for a bit before he found something that looked semi-liveable. "Hey, there is an old house over there we can stay in. It looks abandon." Austin said. He pointed to an overgrown section of the woods. There was an old, two-story house that still seemed somewhat stable.

"Do we seriously have to stay in that? It's probably abandon for a reason." I pointed out.

"We have no idea where we are. We all have been um...changed. And there are Pokémon that would love nothing more than to have us for dinner." Austin reasoned.

"I guess you have a point, but do you think it will be safe for your brother? He really can't defend himself." I said as I looked down at Devin. He was still sleeping as I held him.

"It will be fine. I will check it out then you can come in." I nodded and Austin disappeared into the house. A few minutes later, Austin reappeared and signaled for me to come in.

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I bet most of you thought that this would be a standard TF fic. Nope, my brother didn't like it that way. He said that I should write a fic where the oldest is, well, like Devin. I am still not sure if I am going to beat my brother senseless over this or not. I am leaving his fate in your hands lol. Even if you guys didn't like this I will be keeping these characters in OMAA. Be sure to review or favorite/follow, if you guys think this is a good idea. This shieldliger001 nervously signing off.


	2. Chapter 2

Hey everyone and happy Thanksgiving! I decided to take a break from OMAA this week and publish a new chapter of A New Age. Don't worry I will be going back to OMAA after this chapter. On to the reviews.

Mades: I want to thank you for all of the help you gave me on fixing the first chapter. I probably wouldn't have noticed my mistakes and you helped me get them corrected.

Monpoke: thanks for reviewing the first chapter. You are right when you said that I published it a little to early. I just get to excited when I finish something new. I did the exact same thing with OMAA's first chapter.

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 **Everyone knows that if you've got a brother, you're going to fight.**

 **Liam Gallagher**

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 **Chapter 2**

 **Family Troubles**

 **Emily's POV**

The house looked much like it did on the outside. The carpet had all but deteriorated. Wallpaper was peeling from the walls. The wood floors constantly creaked, but it was dry and we got away from the weird creature that had been chasing us. Austin had found a room that seemed to have taken the least amount of damage from the decay and set up two sleeping bags for us to sleep in.

"What are we going to do with Devin? We can't just put him on the floor." I said.

"I only had two sleeping bags, but I found a few blankets in that third bag over there. We can lay them out on the ground; then we just make sure he stays put." Austin replied. Austin began to lay out the blankets on the ground, and I laid the sleeping Devin on top of them.

"Your brother is wrapped in his shirt. Is there anything in that bag that he can wear?" I asked.

"Yeah, I found these when I pulled out the blankets." Austin held up a pair of Pokémon themed pajamas.

"He isn't going to be happy when he wakes up." I said.

"I know, but it's the only thing I found in the bag. There were three pairs of these and that was it. Let me see Devin and I will put him into these. Man that sounds weird." Austin muttered.

"This whole thing is weird! We have been changed into little kids, chased by things that shouldn't exist, and to top it all off, your brother can barely talk anymore!" I yelled. I began to cry for the first time today. I half expected Devin to wake me from this nightmare, but he didn't come. Looking up, I saw Austin holding Devin. Tears were running down his face as he watched me cry.

"I know. Believe me, this isn't easy for me either, but we will have to make due until we figure out a way to get back home." Austin whispered. He carried Devin and closed an old door behind him. I looked at the bag that had all of the papers in it. I carefully pulled a few of them out and began to read. The first page was just a birth certificate. The next two were the same. The fourth was a notebook of some kind. After the first few paragraphs, I realized that whatever we were doing was going to be a lot hard than I had thought. I began to read even further as the details of the paper explained pretty much our entire journey.

"I see that you found our itinerary. Have you finished the entire thing yet?" The sudden sound of Austin's voice startled me, and caused me to fall back.

"Austin, you freaking scared me!" I yelled.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to. So what do you think?"

"I think that I'm not even done reading yet." I replied.

"Basically, we watch out for these two kids and the three Pokémon, and we help them find a regular Mew." Austin explained.

"A what?" I asked.

"A Mew. It's a Pokémon that is supposed to have created every other Pokémon in the world. Anyway, we have to find them, then help them when they get into trouble." Austin explained.

"Why do I have to be involved in all of this? I didn't ask to come to some strange planet with strange creatures that can turn you into a kid!" I yelled.

"Actually, this is supposed to be another version of earth. This world even has a Las Vegas and Hollywood."

"Austin, I you don't want me to put my shoe through your face, I would suggest that you shut up." I growled through gritted teeth. Austin quickly closed his mouth and placed Devin quietly on one of the sleeping bags.

"It's getting late. We should go to bed. I want to make my way to civilization as soon as possible." I nodded in agreement and found a comfortable place inside my own sleeping bag.

"I thought that you were going to sleep in the sleeping bag." I said as Austin began to cover up with the blankets.

"Devin is my brother. He may be extremely rude and obnoxious at times but he doesn't deserve to be on the nasty floor. Besides, I think what happened today is enough punishment to last a lifetime. Night, Emily." he answered.

"Night, I guess." I replied.

 **Devin's POV**

"No n-no don't...don't do it. Please! Stop! Mommy!" I yelled as I bolted up out of my slumber. I was drenched in sweat which made me feel like I had just gotten out of the ocean. "Did I really just say that?" I asked myself as reflected on my dream. I looked around the room and quickly noticed that I wasn't in my room anymore. I was inside an old rundown room with two windows. Both of the windows were cracked causing the moonlight to be fractured as well. I moved the sleeping bag around in order to get out. When I stood up, I was extremely wobbly. Something didn't feel right. The moonlight had given me more than enough light to figure out what it was. I was in a strange, rundown room. Everything seemed to be a lot bigger, and I was in a pair of Pokémon pajamas. I reacted just like any other teenager who wakes up in a strange place.

"What's going on? Where am I? What am I wearing?" I yelled. My high pitched voice caught me off guard and I covered my mouth. I slowly uncovered my mouth and tried to talk again. "Testing, testing." my voice was the same high pitched voice that it was before. The shock over my voice caused me to not notice that two people had begun to arouse.

"Devin? Are you ok?" a young girly voice asked. I stopped dead in my tracks.

"W-who's there? What's going on? I demand to know!" I trembled as a flash light was turned on and shown in my face.

"Devin, just settle down and take deep breath. This is going to be kind of shocking at first." the second figure sounded a lot like Austin.

"Austin, what's happening? Stop shining that light in my face." I asked. Austin hesitated.

"Devin, why don't you go back to sleep. Dawn will be in a few hours. We can tell you when it's light out." he said.

"Tell me right now! What is going on?" I asked furiously.

"Devin, trust me. You will want it to be light outside." Austin flicked off the flash light and laid back down. Not having any other choice, I did the same.

I couldn't sleep. My brain was on overdrive as it tried to process what I had seen and heard. Nothing I thought seemed to make sense. I remembered the lab, the weird alien fairy and some sort of pocket watch, but after that, I can't remember anything. My overworking brain, had finally worn itself out about an hour later and I fell asleep.

Light shined through my eyes and aroused me from my tormented sleep. I tried to keep my eyes closed, but someone shook me fully awake.

"Hey Devin, how are you feeling?" Austin asked. I blinked at him for several seconds. I couldn't believe what my eyes were telling me.

"I'm still dreaming, aren't I. Ok Devin, I'm going to close my eyes and this will all disappear." I muttered to myself.

"Devin, just open yours eyes and stand up." Austin said with a sigh. I stood up and opened my eyes. I had to look up a little just to see Austin's face.

"What the heck! What's going on? How did you get so tall? Where are we?" I asked in full blown panic.

"I didn't get tall, you just shrunk down a bit. Look, do you remember that weird fairy thing?" Austin asked. I nodded. "When you ticked it off, it turned you back into a five-year-old."

"That is impossible." I said firmly. "This is all a bad dream. None of this is real!" I yelled in denial.

"Devin, shut up and listen to what your brother has to say! It's because of you that we are all stuck like this anyways!" I turned to face the new voice.

"Emily? Is that really you?" I asked out of shock.

"Of course it's me. Who else could it be? If you need proof that this is no dream, then I'll give it to you!" she said. She walked up to me and whacked me upside the head.

"Ow! What was that for?" I asked as I rubbed the back of my head.

"You just answered your question. IF you were dreaming, you wouldn't have felt that." All of the new information was causing me to have a headache. I looked at my girlfriend who stood a good inch or two over me now; then I looked at my brother who stood at least four or five inches over me.

"If I am truly five years old; then how old are you guys?" I asked nervously.

"Emily is eight and I am eleven." I nearly passed out. Not only was I a younger age, but I was younger than my younger brother.

"One last question, where did these come from, and how did I get these on?" I asked as I motioned at the pajamas I was in.

"They came from that bag over there. I put you in them last night." Austin said quietly.

"I don't know what's worse, waking up and finding out that my younger brother is older than me by six years, or finding out that he put me into a pair of Pokémon pajamas." I muttered dazedly. Austin walked over to his bag and pulled out a set clothes.

"Here, put these on. We need to leave as soon as possible." he said. I took the set of clothes and stared at them. There was a pair of denim jeans, the tag read 5 T. The shirt was navy blue with one of those Pokéballs emblazoned on the left chest pocket.

"The pants I can wear, but the shirt I can't. I hate Pokémon and I don't want anything to do with them." I said stubbornly.

"You better get used to it, because Pokémon are sort of a big deal here." Austin replied.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"I mean that we aren't in the normal world anymore. Here Pokémon really exist." Austin declared.

"Bull crap." I stated simply.

"Seeing as how I was chased by one while carrying you, I would have to say that your brother is right." Emily spoke up.

"You both are delusional. Being turned back into a kid is one thing, but saying that there are a bunch of made up animals around is completely different." I replied.

"Just get dressed and we will show you." Austin sighed.

"Why should I?" I challenged.

"Because I'm older than you!" Austin yelled. I didn't know what to say. I looked down at my body. My muscles were barely visible. I looked like any other kindergartner.

"Maybe physically, but you and I both know that I am your older brother. No magic trick will ever change that." I said through gritted teeth. I stomped off and left Emily and Austin in the worn down room.

 **Austin's POV**

"At least we know that he is as stubborn as ever." Emily said as Devin went into what was once the bathroom. "Did you really feel the need to say that you are older? I mean come on, you aren't older."

"Do you know how long I have dreamed to say those words to him? Ever since he started picking on me about playing the Pokémon games, he has been abusing his power of being the oldest. Now he is a little older than a toddler and I'm the oldest." I replied as the realization dawned on me.

"What about Jonah? Technically he's the oldest now." Emily replied.

"He isn't here so he doesn't count. By the way, how are you holding up?" I asked I tried to change the subject. Emily only shrugged.

"Fine, considering that I'm eight again. Where are we going to go first?"

"It's a place called Celadon City. I really don't know which way it is until we reach another town, but if we make it there within the next two weeks we will find the people we need to help there." I said.

"How do you know that they will be there?" Emily asked.

"Because the notebook over there has every stop that these three make for the next few months. That means all we have to do is find out where we are then we head over to where they will be." I replied.

"Sounds simple enough, I hope we can hurry up though. I really want to go home." Emily sighed.

"I'm not sure if I do want to go home. Look at me! What do you think they are going to think when they find out that their oldest son can't even reach the sink faucet! This whole thing is insane!" Devin came out of the bathroom fully dressed. He had a grave look on his face. "I was awake for the watch remember? If all of this isn't a dream, then what that creature said about not being able to mess with the watch again is true. If we do make it home, we won't be Devin, Emily, and Austin the mature ones. We will be Devin the kindergartner, Emily the third grader, and Austin the fifth grader. If we do get home, expect two things to happen. First off, our parents will quit treating us with dignity. Second, we will be forced to go back to school in order to make everything seem normal. They will cover this up and bury us." Devin brought up several good points. How would our parents react? Would the government cover up the accident?

"In the end it doesn't really matter. All that matters is that we do what we were brought here to do and then we get home. Until then, quit complaining and let's find those kids."

"Easier said than done. Do you seriously think that people will just let three kids run around the country side? Last I checked, kids aren't allowed outside after curfew. We all qualify as "kids" now." Devin shot back. "Let's face it! We are stuck in this place for the rest of our lives."

"Quit being so melodramatic. We have an exception to the rule." I opened up the papers bag and pulled out three sheaves of paper. "These right here give me the privilege of being a Pokémon trainer. That means I can go anywhere in the region without any problems. Emily gets these. These allow her to be a junior trainer. As long as she is with me, then she can travel around. This last set is for you. Basically, they say that I am your legal guardian and that I must keep you close to me at all times."

"What! That's not right! You aren't even close to being an adult! How can you be my guardian? I shouldn't even need a guardian!" Devin yelled. "Hand me those papers! I want to see them!" Devin lunged at the papers, but I easily raised them over my head and out of his reach.

"I will not give them to you, because you are acting like a two year." I said.

"I want to see if that's what those papers really mean." Devin said through gritted teeth. He tried to jump in order to reach the papers but they were still out of his shortened reach. After a couple of minutes of jumping around, I felt pretty smug. For once I was on top. I was the one that controlled everything Devin would have to listen to what I had to say and there was nothing he could do about it. My smugness went flying out the window when a sharp pain shot up my right leg.

"What was that for?" I yelled as Devin kicked again. "Ow, will you stop that?"

"No not until you let me read those papers!" Devin yelled.

"Emily, a little help here would be much appreciated." I said as tried to keep Devin away from my legs.

"It's no wonder why the fairy thing said that this would lower our chances. You both are acting like children. Austin, just let him read the papers." Emily said as she watched us fighting.

"Fine. Read the stupid papers. It won't change what's on them." I conceded. I handed Devin the papers and he began to scan through them. It was clear when he had finished, because he let out an audible groan.

"Are you satisfied?" I asked.

"This isn't fair! I was born way before you! I hate this!" Devin began.

"I don't want to hear your pity party. I just want to know if you understand where you stand." I interrupted.

"I stand about three feet to short." Devin muttered.

"We can deal with this later. Let's get moving." I said.

 **Emily's POV**

By the time we started our journey to civilization, it was already noon. Austin and Devin bickered relentlessly and I had just about had it. I tried probably hundred different things to keep my mind off the immature boys, but it didn't help in the least. I tried to count the clouds, look at the trees, and count all of the new creatures I would need to learn about. I even tried to think about what would happen between me and Devin, but that picture quickly got erased.

"Why would we go to the left? That part of the woods looks like it hasn't been used in fifty years." I heard Devin say.

"The right doesn't look all that different." Austin retorted.

"You idiot, if we go to the left, we will most likely get lost! I'm not going to die in some godforsaken forest as a kindergartner!" Devin yelled.

"Maybe becoming young again has damaged your brain, because if you think that the right is cleaner than the left than you are highly delusional." Austin insulted.

"Who talks like that? Who even uses the phrase "highly delusional"?" Devin asked in mild irritation.

"I do, so shut up!" Austin yelled back.

"I pick the right. You two can either follow me or stay here. I really don't care. You both talk as though you know best but the truth is that neither of you have any common sense. Instead of working together like brothers should, you two are to busy fighting! You both cling to this raft of being older when quite frankly, you both are acting your ages!" I yelled as I stomped down the path.

"I told you. I told you that you were acting like a little kid."

"That's not what she meant and you know it." Devin replied.

"Let me rephrase that. Devin is acting his age and you are also acting his age!" I yelled back. Without waiting for a response, I walked off.

 **Austin's POV**

As it turned out, the right path was the correct one. It led us through the woods and onto a main walkway. It took us a couple of hours but we could see the edge of a small town. Somehow, Devin had begun to get tired, so I had to carry him. I mentally wrote this down as one more thing that I could hold over his head. I looked at my smaller brother in quiet observation. He was somewhat small for his age. His dark brown hair had become extremely light brown. His muscles from when he was nineteen had all but disappeared. He looked so helpless and weak. Guilt flooded me as I thought about the way we were arguing in the forest. Just days before I was wishing that I could have a brother that would stand up for me, instead of tearing me down. Here I am now treating my on brother the way I hated to be treated.

'Devin, I promise that I will try to treat you the way I would have wanted.' I vowed mentally.

"Come on Austin. We are almost there." Emily spoke up as I took a short break.

"Alright, I'm coming." I replied.

 **Celebi's POV**

"So Bee, why do you care so much about some kid that Mew got ticked at?" Jeffric asked as we floated around the Hall of Origins.

"Do you remember those two brothers in Kalos. The ones that brought down Rocket's Flare?"

"The Eevee and Vulpix ones right? I remember hearing about them, why?"

"It turns out that their brother was transformed into a Pichu shortly after they were found. That Pichu is with a Jolteon named Zan. They both ended up with Katlyn Ward who was regressed to the age of seven while helping her brother. Her brother was transformed into a Vulpix about a month before that. There is something going on and I think I have figured out what is." I said solemnly.

"That last one was transformed by my mate, I don't exactly see how that connects to the Pichu, Eevee, and Vulpix." Jeffric replied.

"Not going to say "wife" today, Jeffric?" I teased lightly.

"I still feel weird about saying mate. I won't ever get used to it if I don't say it." Jeffric confessed as he blushed slightly.

"It's been how many centuries and you still can't decide what you are going to say? You realize that we are just giving you a hard time, right? Mate is equivalent to a human wife." I laughed lightly.

"Bee, you are getting off topic." Jeffric reminded.

"Stop calling me Bee. Anyways, the Eevee boy, Evan was transformed directly because of the Rocket's Flare. That organization was a coalition between Team Rocket and Team Flare. The Pichu, Jack, was body swapped because of Team Rocket. Caleb, Katlyn's brother was transformed by Mew, but now Team Rocket is after both Katlyn and Caleb." I continued.

"Hold up, I don't understand. Why would Team Rocket be after this Caleb and his sister?"

"I'm getting there, just hold on. At first, Team Rocket was after Zan because he was a test subject, however their attention has shifted from the Jolteon to Katlyn and Caleb. The reason being that they somehow figured out that Caleb and Katlyn are connected to Mew."

"So?" Jeffric asked.

"I'll let the expert explain this part. Mewtwo you can come out now. It's not like I can't see where you are hiding." I called.

"I really hate your future seeing thing." The savage heart Pokémon said as it floated out from behind a pillar.

"You are a psychic, you should know by now that I can do that. You remember your brother-in-law, Jeffric so I shouldn't have to remind you.

"If you even so much as look at Mew cross-eyed, I will completely annihilate, human."

"As overprotective as always I see. You know that I would never do anything to hurt... whatever you call her." Jeffric retorted.

"Mewtwo, shut up and explain what happened between Mew and Team Rocket."

"They had captured her and taken her to one of their research facilities. There, they extracted her DNA. With that they created me. During the short time that they had her, they tried many other horrific experiments on both people and Pokémon. Eventually she managed to escape. After that, they have been hunting for her ever since." Mewtwo explained begrudgingly.

"I guess I still don't understand." Jeffric replied.

"Some of Team Rocket's newest advances in Pokémon genetics came from Mew. When she got away, their genetics research plateaued. If they could recapture Mew, their research would take off again. Your mate made a deal with Caleb. If he found her, then Team Rocket would have no problem catching her once again." I said. Jeffric looked at me in horror.

"Tell her to come back! Tell her not to let that kid find her!" Jeffric yelled.

"I can't. This point in time is in flux. It could go any way right now. If we bring her back here, it could very well send Team Rocket on a hunt for the Hall of Origins. If that happens world wide war could break out between the organizations and the various governments. It would literally be the end of the world as we know it." Jeffric looked at me with worried eyes.

"What can we do?" he asked.

"Right now? Nothing. All we can do is wait and see if Austin, Emily, and Devin can complete what they were sent here to do." I replied.

* * *

I hope that this chapter was a little smoother for y'all. I really think that this will turn into a really good story. I am not sure if I am going to make this into a story that continues through the time of OMAA or if I will finish it off where Austin, Emily, and Devin appear in OMAA. One thing I do plan on doing is making a story that happens after OMAA just about them. I will just have to see how it works out. One last thing, I was wondering if anyone would like to make a story cover for OMAA and ANA. If anyone would like to be sure to PM me and we can talk about what to do. This is shieldliger001 signing off.


	3. Chapter 3

Hey guys, shield here. Today is my birthday so I wanted to get this chapter out as part of my celebration. School is winding down for Christmas so I may be able to publish faster. On to the reviews!

Monpoke: My brother wanted this to be something that was apart of the other stories. He did plan most of it. I'm just here to fill in the gapes and make sure it makes sense.

Philip Harbindinger: Thanks for reviewing. I'll admit that the first chapter was a little rough, but I hope that this chapter is better. I wanted to try a different type of TF because my other two stories were similar to each other. My brother actually gave me the idea and I must say that I like the whole "the oldest shall follow the youngest" thing. I think we both took that a little to literal, lol.

* * *

 **I am the oldest of seven. Do my siblings think I'm super cool? I wish they thought I was super cool.**

 **Britt Robertson**

* * *

 **Chapter 3**

 **Surprises, Surprises, and More Surprises**

 **Devin's POV**

Mom and Dad's face just before we disappeared was one of horror. I probably looked the same way when I saw the green fairy. Even more so, when I woke up as a little kid again.

'This is to much. This is going to be a long journey.' My thoughts were the same throughout breakfast. I didn't say a single word as I picked and prodded at the pancake that sat before me. Austin and Emily also sat quietly at the table. Emily kept looking at me with a mixture of emotions. Austin just tried to put on a brave face. None of us really touched our food. The awkwardness of the situation had all but overridden our drive to do anything but stare at each other.

After nearly half an hour of staring, I worked up the nerve to say something.

"Any ideas of where we are?" I asked. I cringed slightly at the sound of my voice. I still hadn't gotten used to its higher pitched tone.

"According to the nurse here, we are in a small town called Dracden. It is between Pewter City and Cerulean City. We can do two things, we can go to Celadon City through Viridian City or we can go through Saffron City. Either one will take about the same amount of time."

"You are the Pokémon expert. You decide." I huffed. Austin was surprised by my sudden attitude.

"He could have said it nicer but he is right. You are the only one here that really knows anything about this place." Emily agreed.

"Alright, let's go through Cerulean City. I always wanted to see the gym there." Austin said finally.

"You and your games." I muttered.

"If you haven't noticed, this isn't much of a game anymore. This is reality and we need to do what we were sent here to do and get home." Austin shot back. I rolled my eyes and got up from the table. I took my plate and went to the counter. I reached for the syrup but ran into a small snag. I couldn't reach it.

"Hey, Austin? Could you get the syrup for me?" I mumbled with embarrassment.

"Sure thing, kiddo." Austin snickered.

"I am going to murder you in your sleep." I growled through gritted teeth. Austin only chuckled as he got up and poured on the syrup. He walked me back to the table. I was embarrassed again, but there wasn't anything I could do to stop it. I began to eat my food with a little more enthusiasm. That is until two women walked up to our table.

"This little boy is so precious. Where are your parents they need to know that you all are very well behaved." one of the women said.

"They died in a car accident last year. When I became a trainer I was allowed to become my little brother's guardian." Austin lied.

"Oh, bless their souls. If they could see you three now they would be mighty proud." the second woman replied. She then proceeded to ruffling my hair. I never did like being touched much so I quickly pushed her hand away.

"Beth, I don't think the littlun likes that to much." the first woman said observantly.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I used to do it to my kids when they were little. They seemed to always like it. Well, you three have a good day." With that, the two ladies left us to our meals.

"I'm not real hungry anymore." I muttered.

"Oh, hush up and eat. It's not that bad." Emily said as she took another bite out of her own food.

"It hasn't happened to you yet. Once it has, then you will understand." I replied.

 **Emily's POV**

"Austin, this is going to take forever. Why do we need to get things for a Pokémon when you don't even have one?" Devin whined as we marched around the store.

"If I am going to catch one then I need to get some things for it."

"You couldn't catch a fly with a black hole. What makes you think you will be able to catch some wild animal?" Devin asked.

"Because it is a lot easier than catching a fly with a black hole." Austin replied. I looked around at all the things the store carried. Most of it were things I had never seen before, but there were things that reminded me of home.

"Hey Austin, I'm going over to the clothes section for a minute. Come get me when you are done." I said as I made a beeline to the clothes section. Austin nodded when I looked back. Austin grabbed Devin's arm when he tried to follow me. He struggled and protested but to no avail. Austin then dragged Devin down another aisle and disappeared. I looked at all of the amazing clothes they had here. They had everything anyone would ever want. Unfortunately, there wasn't a single thing that I could wear myself. I began to head back to Austin.

"Excuse me miss, Are you Emily Lee?" asked a man from behind.

"Who's asking?" I replied suspiciously.

"I'm just a cashier from up front. A man came in about five minutes ago. He told me to give you this box. He said that if you were suspicious to tell you his name. He said it was Jeffric Mewton. He said you would know who he was." the cashier said as he handed me the box. I looked at the box for a few moments before thanking the man. Once he left, I began to search for the boys.

It took a little while but I finally found them in the electronics aisle. Devin was looking at the games for one of the consoles he had in our world while Austin stared off into space. He had an extremely depressed look in his eyes and didn't notice me until I tapped his arm.

"Emily, we can't buy anything." he sighed. "We can't even buy cheap Pokéballs to catch Pokémon. If we can't catch Pokémon, then we can't make any money."

"What makes you think I want something? It just so happens that some guy named. Jeffric Horton? No, it was Jeffric Mewton! Gave me this box. I haven't opened it yet so do y'all want to see what's inside?"

"That has got to be the worst alias I have ever heard. I baby could figure that one out." Devin huffed as he placed a game back on the self.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"He means that Jeffric is the same blue Mew that helped us into this mess. All he did was add the word "ton" at the end of his species name." Austin explained.

"At least we know it won't be a bomb. What are you waiting for? Open it up!" Devin said impatiently.

"Alright, hold your horses." I said as I began to open the tape that sealed the box shut. Once the tape had come off, I opened the flaps to reveal three gray orbs with red caps.

"Awesome! This is amazing!" Austin whooped.

"Please enlighten us oh exuberant one." Devin said sarcastically.

"These are the Pokéballs from the Pokémon Forever movie! That was the only time they ever appeared." Austin explained, ignoring his brother's sarcasm.

"There is a note taped to the flap here." Devin pointed out. He ripped it off of the flap and opened it. "Dear Austin, Emily, and Devin. Enclosed in this box are three Pokéballs inside. Austin gets the one marked Elweard, Emily gets the one marked Brand, and Devin gets the one marked Teresa. I wish you success on your journey. Goodbye for now, Jeffric."

"Let's wait until we get outside before we open these. I don't want to find out that there is a fifty foot dinosaur inside." Austin said. We left the store and found a small park just a few blocks away.

"Ok, time for the moment of truth. Let's see what's in these things." I said. I pressed the top red cap and waited for something to happen. I was perplexed when nothing actually happened.

"Maybe you didn't press it hard enough." Devin said thoughtfully. I tried again and nothing happened. "Let me give it a shot." Devin tried to press the button on his Pokéball, but nothing happened either. He balled his small left hand into a fist and slammed it into the red cap and still the stubborn contraption lay dormant. We spent five minutes trying to get our Pokéball open and we only stopped when Austin began to laugh out loud.

"What's so funny? We were doing the exact same thing that your show does." Devin said through gritted teeth.

"Normally you would be right, except that this Pokéball is about forty years old. You have to twist the cap off. He laughed. Devin turned beet red and began to fume.

"Why you little brat. Why didn't you tell us that sooner? My hand is all bruised from slapping that ball any which way I could think to get it open!" Devin yelled.

"You calling me little is like calling Jupiter the size of a marble." Devin laughed as he twisted the cap of his gray orb. The top began to glow and a silhouette began to form.

"Cool, I got a Lucario!" Austin yelled once the light cleared. A bipedal wolf stood there looking at Austin. It looked as though it was wearing a mask and had four strange appendages hanging off the back of its head. It was mostly black and blue with a creamed colored torso. "What are you two waiting for? Open up you Pokéballs." Austin said excitedly. I opened mine next. Once the light cleared, I noticed that there was no large shape. Instead, there was a small ball on the ground. Its back was a darkish gray with four red circles set in a square pattern. I placed my hand on the tiny creature and it uncurled itself like an armadillo. It looked at me warily. Its face and stomach were a yellowish, cream color.

"It's adorable!" I squealed. I then tried to pick it up. The creature curled back up into a little ball and flames jumped from its back. The flames barely singed my hand. It wasn't bad but it hurt.

"The first thing you should know about a Cyndaquil, is that they are very timid. If they get scared, they tend to shoot fire at you." Austin laughed. "Try taking a less noisy approach."

"I'm sorry I scared you. I'm not going to hurt you." I cooed. The Cyndaquil uncurled and looked at me nervously. I stroked the top of its head and he began to open up to me. "That's right, I'm not going to hurt you."

"Alright, I can't take anymore of this love fest crap. Let's see what I got out of this fictional nightmare." Devin said rudely. I glared at him but he didn't seem to notice. He twisted off the cap, and let the light spill out. A very large dinosaur type creature appeared. It was mostly dark brown with a light brown belly. It had a pouch that carried a sleeping, purple creature that seemed to be a smaller version of the larger creature. The creature looked at the young Devin with an appraising look.

"So you are the human Celebi told me to take care of." it spoke. I nearly fainted. Devin fell down and looked as if he had been bushwhacked. Austin seemed surprised but not to the extent that we were. "Well boy, don't sit there gawking get up and introduce yourself." Devin unsteadily rose to his feet.

"M-my n-name is D-Devin L-Lee." He stammered uncontrollably.

"It is very nice to meet you. I am Teresa and this is my little bundle of joy, Hope." the Dino replied.

"H-how c-can you t-talk? I thought Pokémon c-could o-only say t-their names." Devin asked.

"Oh, I learned how to talk a long time ago. My trainer from before was a mute, I learned how to talk so I could be his translator. It is rare for Pokémon to learn to talk but it isn't unheard of." Teresa replied.

"So, what, you are here to help me battle?" Devin asked curiously.

"No, I am here to make sure you are raised properly while we are traveling. Just because you are nineteen in mind doesn't mean you can do whatever you want." Teresa replied. Devin's mouth dropped open. I could tell that he had never dreamt that something like this would ever happen to him. I laughed in my head but decided to to not let anyone hear me. I didn't need what was happening to Devin happening to me. I looked down at the little Cyndaquil.

"Can you talk little one?" I asked. The little creature shook its head. "Don't worry, one day you may get to learn." I replied as I rubbed its head.

"My name is Austin. I know quite a bit about Lucario since you are my favorite type of Pokémon. You can understand my feelings through aura, correct?" Austin asked. The wolf creature nodded. "The one thing that I do know that not many others know is that you can also communicate through aura."

" _You are very knowledgeable, Austin Lee. I can see why the Legendaries_ _picked you for this mission."_ the wolf said, or rather didn't say. The words didn't seem like sound as much as it seemed to just pop into my head.

"I will take that as a compliment. We were just about to head out. Maybe you can tell us where you are from while we are walking."

" _We all had the same trainer about sixty years ago. He died of cancer. There was nothing anyone could do. Later that year, Celebi came to us. She asked if we wanted to help her with a mission. She said that we would be able to regain the joy of being with our trainer. We refused. I told Celebi that nothing could replace the joy that being with our trainer had brought. Celebi was persistent. After a while, we accepted. Here we are."_ the Lucario said quickly.

"That was quick. Wait, sixty years ago? But your Pokéballs are from forty years ago." Austin said.

" _Celebi said that your knowledge was limited to the history of twenty years ago. You are twenty years ahead of where you thought. Things, as you can already tell, are different."_

"That makes sense I suppose." Austin sighed. "I really wanted to run into Ash Ketchum.

" _He is the champion of this region now. There is no chance of you running into him."_

"How did you know he was the champion, if you are sixty years into your future?"

" _You are just full of questions, aren't you? We had to be prepared for this mission. We weren't thrown into it like you were."_

"Ok, well that was quick. You three already seem to know our names, so what are your names?" I asked as I stroked the tiny creature in my arms.

"Didn't you read the note that Celebi and Jeffric left for you?" Teresa asked.

"Well yeah, but it didn't say which of you were which. I already know that your name is Teresa but what are the other's names?" I replied.

" _This is what we have to deal with? I think that Celebi needs to think things through. I thought that it would be pretty obvious. Our names are marked on our Pokéballs."_ Austin looked at his gray orb.

"So, your name is Elweard? That is a strange name." Austin said.

" _It is not strange. It is Old English for "noble protector". Our old trainer was very big on name meanings. He only gave us names that carried a meaning. Brand's name is Old English for "Fire"."_ Elweard replied, slightly offended.

"Let me guess Teresa is named after Mother Teresa?" Devin asked wryly.

"No, Teresa means "Summer". I was born during the summer time." Teresa huffed. Austin just stopped talking all together. There was a long silence and it began to get awkward.

"Austin, don't you think we should get going?" I asked in order to end the silence.

"Yeah, let's get going everyone. We need to find some trainers anyways. We are really low on money." Austin said. He stood up and looked at the Lucario. He nodded and followed Austin.

"Devin, would you like me to carry you?" Teresa asked.

"Um, no thanks. I can walk just fine." Devin said quickly as he rushed after his brother. I was pretty sure I saw his face go bright red. Teresa just shrugged and followed.

"I guess we should just follow everyone else." I told Brand. He smiled and nodded happily.

 **Austin's POV**

We left the city limits as fast as we could. Everyone was getting along as well as could be expected. Emily and Brand seemed to enjoy each other's company, while me and Elweard seemed to have a mutual agreement, about talking. The agreement was apparently, not talking to each other. The only one who seemed to be having problems was Devin. He was doing his best to avoid Teresa. The Kangaskhan had already made Devin jumpy from the conversation earlier. He tried to stay close to me. As if I could stop a seven foot tall dinosaur whose only job was to make sure Devin didn't get into trouble. Despite this, it didn't keep Devin from hanging around me. I almost felt like an older brother.

We walked for about an hour, but hadn't found anyone who was willing to battle. We had asked about seven different people, but they all said no.

"At this rate, we will never get any money." I said glumly.

"There is a reason that nobody will battle you." Teresa said. "They are terrified of Elweard. They know that they will not be able to defeat him."

" _Their aura speaks the truth. Every person we passed has fear imprinted on their aura. Most only have weak Pokémon. They would stand no fighting chance."_ Elweard sighed. _"Try placing me back inside the Pokéball, then ask the next person you see."_ I obeyed and recalled the Lucario. We then continued down the path.

About half an hour later, we came across a group of three teens no older then what I used to be. When they saw the three of us, they decided that they should bar our path.

"Look at what we have here. Three little pipsqueaks walking around like they own the place. Get lost kids or we will make you leave." the tallest of the boys said. Devin moved back a little as did Emily, but I held my ground.

"We have just as much right to walk through here as you do." I replied calmly.

"Do you hear that? He thinks that he is just as good as we are. What happened to the last kid that tried telling us that?" the leader asked.

"We beat the crap out of him and sent him home crying." replied one of the other boys.

"Do you want to keep going or will we have to send you back to mommy crying?" the leader asked mockingly.

"I think we will keep going. You don't scare me one bit." I replied boldly.

"I guess we will just have to do this the hard way." The teen reached for a single Pokéball on his belt. "Go, Raticate!"

"Go, Elweard." I replied calmly as I took my Pokéball and unscrewed the cap.

"You don't even have a real Pokéball! Nothing good could ever come out of an old relic like that!" the teen laughed.

"Don't be so sure." I replied as the Lucario spawned in front of me. The appearance of Elweard startled the teen but didn't cause him to back down.

"Raticate, use Hyper Fang!" the teen yelled. The Raticate lunged at Elweard. Its teeth glowed a bright yellow.

"You really don't know much about typing, do you." I sighed. "Elweard, use Aura Sphere."

Elweard raised his right arm and pointed it at the oncoming Raticate. A glowing blue ball of energy formed in the center of his paw. Once it was big enough, Elweard pulled back his arm then thrust it forward. The ball of energy shot from his paw and hit the Raticate directly in the gut. It was shot backwards by the blast and slammed into its trainer. The other boys stared in disbelief.

"What are you two doing? Get him!" the first teen yelled angrily as he returned his unconscious Pokémon. The other two nodded and tossed their Pokéballs. One spawned a Charmeleon. The other spawned an Abra.

"Charmeleon! Use, Flamethrower!" one of the boys yelled. A column of flames shot from the lizard's mouth. Elweard dodged to the left, and a bone materialized from thin air. Without me saying a word, he threw it at the Charmeleon. It smacked the Charmeleon directly in the chest. It let out a deep huff and took a step backwards. Seeing that the single strike didn't do enough damage, Elweard threw two more bones and followed up with an Aura Sphere. The Charmeleon flew back completely unconscious. The Abra disappeared from my view as soon as it saw the Charmeleon fly back. Elweard closed his eyes. He did a complete three sixty and shot an Aura Sphere. Just as he shot it, the Abra reappeared and was hit with the energy ball. It fell to the ground, fainted. Both teens returned their Pokémon and ran down the path. The first teen quickly got up and followed. Elweard then disappeared for a few seconds. When he reappeared, he tossed a small, leather wallet at me.

"What's this?" I asked.

" _It's the money they owed us for the battle. They won't even notice that it is gone."_ Elweard replied. _"That should get us some food and equipment the next time we get to town."_

"Thanks, so, I guess we need you to get back inside the Pokéball." I said in awe. I returned the Lucario and we continued down the path.

We came across a few more trainers which we easily defeated. By the time we made it to one of the many Pokémon centers that scattered the countryside, we had enough money to buy any of the supplies we needed. We checked into the Pokémon Center and got ourselves a room. I got ready for bed, but then noticed that I was the only one that got ready for bed.

"What are you two doing? We have to get up tomorrow." I asked as Emily and Devin watched TV.

"We will go to bed later. I want to just relax for awhile." Devin replied.

"Guys, you need to go to bed. It is late and we have to get up tomorrow." I pleaded.

"You two need to listen to Austin." Teresa said. She held her baby in her arms and was rocking her to sleep.

"Fine. I'll get ready for bed." Emily muttered. She got up and headed into the bathroom. She came back out and climbed into the bed across from mine.

"You're up Devin." Teresa said.

"You aren't my mom. You can't tell me what to do." He replied curtly.

"That may be the case, but you are not an adult anymore. Your body needs its rest and you have to be willing to let it have it. Now get in there and get your bath or I will supervise you getting a bath. I can assume that you don't want that." Teresa threatened. Devin looked at the Kangaskhan in complete surprise. His face turned beet red. "Well? What are you waiting for? Get in there and get things done."

"Alright. I'll go. I'll go." Devin replied glumly. I had never seen someone move so fast in my life. He ran to the bag and grabbed some underwear and pajama pants from the bag.

"Grab a shirt as well." Teresa called. Devin grumbled and pulled out a Pokémon pajama top.

"Can't I have some dignity?" He asked.

"If by dignity you mean immodest, then no. Stop complaining and get cleaned up." Teresa replied. Devin began to grumble again as he closed the bathroom door.

"How did you get him to listen to you like that?" I asked in disbelief.

"I wish I could say that it was because of my charm, but I think the main factor is that I'm about five feet taller than he is." Teresa chuckled. I laughed and went to bed.

* * *

As usual, I hope y'all enjoyed the chapter. I will be posting another chapter of OMAA next. I thought this chapter was pretty interesting. Devin got the shock of his life. Austin's worries have been temporarily quenched, and Emily is getting used to Pokémon. If you have anything to say, you know what to do. If you are enjoying the story, be sure to smash that favorite/follow button. This is shieldliger001, signing off


	4. Chapter 4

Hey guys, shield here. I'm so sorry that this took so long. I recently bought Fallout: New Vegas, and I can barely put down the Xbox remote. Anyways, I hope you all enjoy the chapter. On to the reviews.

Monpoke: What I had planned was that Teresa is the trainer's first Pokémon. Since he is mute, Teresa will learn how to talk in his place. Brand would be the second Pokémon the mute trainer would receive. Elweard would be the lat, and by the time he appears, Teresa would have already mastered speaking in a human tongue. I figured that Celebi would pick someone that knew something about the Pokémon world. As for the request part of the plot. I was going for the machine as a means of getting to a certain point. I wouldn't say that it was a request as much as a 'Here is what you do; go do it' type of thing. The last thing you mentioned about the embarrassment factor, I don't feel that I am over doing yet in this story since it is so new. I have been cutting down on it in OMAA. Thanks for your input.

Philip Harbindinger: I was being more realistic. Out of all the animes, Ash always seemed to lose except for the Orange league. Elweard actually is a real word. Believe me I suck with making up names, lol. I just typed in 'old English words that mean protector'. That is how I found the name. You can also find it by typing Elweard into the search engine.

Mades: The simple answer is that NASA is apart of the research. It said that in the first chapter. Since NASA is a government agency they have to let the government know what has happened. If the media got a hold of something like that, it would explode.

* * *

 **This union has been divided in like a civil war- brother against brother- sister against sister. And I'm pulling it together. We've already seen evidence of that in New York, in Pennsylvania, in California. The first thing is we have to get on the same page. We have to be united in one cause.**

 **James P. Hoffa**

* * *

 **Chapter 4**

 **Devin's POV**

Teresa woke me up at around six-thirty in the morning. I tried to stay in bed but the dinosaur grabbed me firmly and lifted me out of bed.

"Put me down! I can get up on my own, you stupid, overgrown lizard!" I yelled as I struggled in her grip.

"It is very rude to tell others they are stupid. Do you need to be placed in the corner?" the lizard asked me.

"What I need is for you to put me down and leave me alone." I shot back. Teresa held on to me even longer. I tried my best to struggle out of her grip but it was futile. Even if I had been my normal self, I wouldn't had been able to get free. After about five minutes of struggling, I gave up out of exhaustion.

"Are you done struggling?" Teresa asked almost mockingly.

"Yeah." I mumbled quietly.

"What was that? I couldn't hear you." Teresa asked.

"I said that I would quiet struggling." I said a little louder. My voice, despite its childish pitch, leaked with irritation. Teresa was satisfied and put me back on the ground. I looked around and noticed that Austin and Emily were nowhere to be seen.

"Where is everyone?" I asked.

"They went down stairs to get some breakfast for everyone and to turn in the room key. They didn't want to wake you and told me to get you up at six-thirty." Teresa replied. "They also said that they would be back in about ten minutes. And they would need you to be ready to go."

"Yeah, yeah. Just give me a few moments." I said.

I went into the bathroom and got dressed. In a pair of jeans and a t-shirt with a Pokémon on it. I didn't know what kind it was. It was shaped like a bipedal lizard. It was orange with a tail. The tail had a small flame. I knew that it had an even bigger form from the small bits and pieces of the show I have seen, but it didn't help place any names into my head. I went over to the sink to brush my teeth. When I looked on the counter for my toothbrush, I noticed that it was missing. There was only one place I could think of where it may have been placed.

"The medicine cabinet." I said begrudgingly. I looked at the small box. Its mirrored door seemed to taunt me as I sat staring at it. "I freaking hate this." I grumbled. I thought about just asking for some help but I let my pride cloud my judgment. I climbed up onto the toilet, and from there, climbed on top of the counter. I easily opened the cabinet and found the toothbrush. I took it and the toothpaste and slowly climbed down. Just as I had gotten halfway off of the counter, my hand slipped out from underneath me and I whacked my head against the counter top. Tears sprung to my eyes as my brain registered the pain. I let out a small whimper, but quickly clamped my hand over my mouth in a futile attempt to stop it from escaping. Unfortunately for me, Teresa heard my commotion.

"Are you alright? I knew I should have helped you. This is all my fault. I'm so sorry." the large lizard apologized. She swept me off the floor and checked ever inch of me despite my protests and squirming. She put me down once she had finished her examination. "You have a nasty bump on your head. I should tell your brother." she concluded.

"No!" I yelled frantically. Teresa looked at me in confusion. "He doesn't need to know anything that happened. I was being a wimp, ok? It didn't even hurt!" Teresa wasn't convinced. If I didn't think of something fast, I would have to face the embarrassment that would come when he got back.

"He needs to know that you got hurt. He wouldn't like it if I kept the fact that you got hurt a secret from him." the dinosaur replied.

"Please don't tell him! I'll do anything! The last thing I need right now is for him to start getting overprotective!" I pleaded.

"Anything?" Teresa asked with a dark glimmer in her eye. I hesitated for a couple of seconds.

"W-within reason." I replied nervously.

"Alright, you must obey whatever I say, without hesitation. You will also help me take care of Hope when I need help." Teresa said, laying down the terms.

"I don't know anything about taking care of human babies, much less dinosaur babies!" I protested.

"Then I guess I will tell Austin all about your little incident in the bathroom." Teresa threatened.

"Fine, I'll do it." I muttered in total defeat.

"I honestly don't see why you don't want to tell him. It wasn't that bad."

"You know that I'm supposed to be nineteen, right?" I asked. The Kangaskhan nodded. I continued. "People my age don't cry when they get hurt like that. You just shrug it off."

"But, you aren't nineteen anymore. Your body is that of a young human. You don't have to shrug anything off. You can seek comfort." Teresa replied. She completely missed my point.

"It's hard to explain. Forget about it." I sighed. I walked over to the bed and meticulously climbed up. I leaned onto the nightstand and picked up the remote to the TV.

"Don't climb onto the furniture. You can be on the beds but not on the tables." Teresa chastised.

"I was just getting the remote." I replied. Then I mumbled. "It wasn't like I was tap dancing on top of it."

"I heard that. You do not have to be a smart mouth. It is very unbecoming. Especially, when coming from a child." Teresa chided. She picked her words very carefully. It was obvious that she was going to remind me that I couldn't do whatever I wanted.

"Fine, I won't be a smart alec." I muttered.

"And?" Teresa prodded.

"And" what? I already said that I wouldn't be a smart mouth. What more do you want?" I asked angrily.

"I want an apology. You may have heard of them. They are things people say when they do something wrong. Have you forgotten the manners your mother have taught you?" Teresa said, exasperated.

"What do you know about my parents! For all you know they just tested that machine on us just for the fun of it! For all you know we were raised in a cave somewhere!" I exploded. I was sick of the belittling behavior I was receiving. Teresa glared at me coldly. I felt as though she was shooting ice through me. Seeing as how we were in the Pokémon world, that could have been true.

"Your brother has manners." she said in a cold, level voice. "He knows how to act, even when things aren't going his way."

"How would you know? You met him yesterday. You can't possibly know anything about him, me, or Emily." I pointed out.

"I know that you are the reason that you three are younger. I know that you would bully him because he liked something you didn't. And, I know that you were the one that dragged Emily in this as well." Teresa said coldly.

"How did you know any of that? None of us ever mentioned any of that." I asked out of bewilderment.

"We all were briefed on you three." Teresa said simply. "Elweard was tasked with protection. Brand is here to be a friend and partner to Emily. I am here to teach you."

"Teach me about what?" I asked scornfully. The dinosaur seemed thoughtful for a second.

"To teach you the golden rule. Do unto others as you would want to be treated. You have treated your brother horribly. I know that I wasn't there to witness any of it but even if a fraction of it is true..." Teresa trailed off.

"Even if a fraction is true" what?" I asked. "I'm a terrible person? I deserved what I got? This is all a big wake up call? What?"

"Did you get what you deserved? Yes, you did. I think you should experience what it's like to be the younger brother. He has a lot he could teach you about being an older brother, and he hasn't ever been one. Is it a wake up call? Yes, it is. You need to learn not to judge others. Everyone is different. You aren't the same as me. We are both different. Are you a terrible person? No, you are not. You are just rough around the edges."

"I don't think I deserved this. I had my life ahead of me. I was going to graduate from high school and go onto getting a degree in welding. Do you know how humiliating it is to be a year older than everyone else in the senior class? If and when we get back, everything is going to change. I don't even want to think about school. I may become some lab rat for the government, or they may cover everything up and make me start completely over, or they could be especially cruel and give me some kind of special exception that allows me to continue high school. The embarrassment from before was bad enough. Now I have to deal with all this… this… this crap." I muttered. Of course, in the middle of my confession, my body misinterpreted my emotions and my eyes began to tear up. "I really hate being young again. I can't control my feelings anymore."

"I can see your problem. You just carry around your anger. You don't express it in any way and you take it home, then you take it out on your brother." Teresa said understandably.

"That's part of it. I really did feel that he had spent to much time on Pokémon. He was, is, obsessive about it. It bothered me a lot." I replied truthfully.

"At least you are being honest. Most people like you won't even admit something is wrong." Teresa replied. She looked at the clock then sighed. "Your brother is going to be here any minute. You better get ready." Teresa was going to say something else, but the door began to rattle. I scrambled in my mind to make it look like I hadn't been crying. When Austin and Emily got in the door, my heart went cold. Emily was the one person I could talk to and she was hanging around my younger brother. The very idea made my blood boil.

 **Austin's POV**

When we got back, Devin was sitting quietly on his bed. I was surprised to see that he was not some grouchy monster he normally is when he gets up early.

"I brought you some food. It's nice to see that you aren't destroying anything this morning." I said as Devin began to eat his food. Devin didn't say anything. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing, let's just go." he said as he wrapped up half of the breakfast biscuit I got for him.

"Aren't you going to finish eating? If you hold off it's going to get cold."

"I'll just eat the rest of it on the road. The faster we finish this job, the sooner we get to go home." he replied moodily. He he opened the door and went out into the hall.

"Emily, could you watch him and see what he is up to?" I asked. "I need to talk to Teresa."

"Sure. Never thought I would have to babysit my boyfriend." she muttered as she too, left the room.

"Teresa, what happened this morning? He is acting really odd." I asked plainly.

"Nothing happened. I had to drag him out of bed, but other than that, it went smoothly." she replied.

"Maybe it's just me." I shrugged. "Come on, I need to turn in the room key."

 **Devin's POV**

"Where are you going?" Emily asked me as I tried to get away from her.

"Nowhere. Is it alright if I walk around for a little bit?" I replied irritatedly.

"What's wrong? You have been acting weird all morning. You are starting to worry me."

"Nothing is wrong. I just don't like my role in all of this." I partially lied. My role was only part of what was wrong. I didn't want anyone else knowing the second part.

"What role? It's not like we assigned positions or anything." Emily replied.

"You didn't do it consciously, but you did do it subconsciously. You have been supporting my _younger_ brother the entire time we have been here." I emphasized the word younger to remind her that I am four years Austin's senior.

"The only reason I listen to him is because he knows this world. He knows more about it than both of us combined." Emily replied. I sighed. She was right. I didn't know jack diddle squat about this place. There wasn't a single thing I could do either. "Devin, I've known you ever since we were in fifth grade. There is something else bothering you, isn't there?"

"Emily, why have you been treating my like I don't exist anymore? For the past couple of days, it has seemed like you ignore me. You talk to Austin just fine, but haven't talked to me all that much."

"I do talk to you. I talk to you everyday." she replied.

"Taking sides with my brother isn't the same as talking to me. You don't talk to me as a friend anymore. You shy away when I ask you things, and sometimes you flat out ignore me. What's the deal here?" I asked a little more assertively.

"I… I feel so weird about it. You are you, but you aren't you at the same time. It's the same thing with Austin, he is himself but he's not the same. I don't know. I'm confusing, aren't I?" Emily admitted. "This world, this reality. None of it should be real, but it is. You, me, and Austin should be older, but we aren't. I'm not trying to ignore you. I'm just trying to figure it all out. Just give me some time."

"Alright, I will." I sighed.

After our conversation, Austin had turned in the room key and we left the center. Everyone was fairly silent. It seemed that everyone knew that somebody had something they didn't want to really talk about. The lack of communication was beginning to become disconcerting. Finally, it was Austin's Pokémon that broke the silence.

"What is going on with you three. There is unbelievable amounts of dread pouring off each one of you. _"_ He said. Nobody said a word. _"_ The longer you three keep your feelings bottled up, the more likely it is that we fail this mission. If you fail you don't go home. _"_

"If you really want to know, it is a lot of things. Emily won't talk to me much anymore, Austin is treating me like I'm his responsibility, and some stupid fairy decided I needed an overprotective, mother dinosaur to help me." I unloaded.

"That is a start. Emily, Austin, what do you need to unload. _"_ Elweard probed. Austin was next.

"I'm scared and angry. I was thrown into this whole mess with no information except for a notebook saying we need to meet up with someone. My high school student brother, looks like a kindergartner and has given me crap the entire time we have been here. Despite his new size his mouth hasn't shrunk at all." I looked at him out of shock and anger. Austin wasn't known for losing his temper.

"I've been giving you nothing but crap? You are the one that have been treating like a child ever since we got here! You have no right to say that I have been the problem!" I yelled furiously.

"You have been cynical, sarcastic, and rude ever since we have been here!" Austin yelled back.

"You have been condescending to me! You never ask my opinion. You also leave me out of the decision making! You never wanted to be around me! Even if I did treat you right!" I shot back.

"You are the reason we are like this! You couldn't keep your mouth shut! In fact, you can never keep your mouth shut!" Austin looked as though he was going to burst. That last comment really struck a nerve. Luckily for me, I had the exact weapon to shoot back at him.

"It was your obsession that got us in this mess to begin with. It was your DS that was taken away. It was your DS that you went back to get. It was your DS that caused every single one of these events to happen. It is your fault that Mom and Dad are wondering if there is a slim possibility that we are still alive." I said with cold calculation. True to my prediction, Austin froze. His face reflected so many emotions at the same time. He didn't know if he should be angry, or sad, or unemotional. He just sat on the ground, unmoving. Emily, who had said nothing the entire time, whacked me up side the head.

"What was that for!" I yelled.

"That was a very low blow. If I could I would beat the crap out of you for that one. He knows that it was his fault. When you are asleep, I wake up and hear him muttering in his sleep. He apologizes over and over again in his sleep. The least you could do is treat him kindly. You asked me earlier why I treat you differently. That is the reason. I didn't really see it before; after the past few days, I saw you cause nothing but strife for him. Once you learn how to be a good brother, I'll think about talking to you again. Until then, try being a good little boy and be quiet until you can apologize to him." I opened my mouth to say something, but Emily cut me off with a fierce glare. Her words stung like salt in a fresh wound. I guess my words were like vinegar in Austin's wounds. Emily got Austin back to his feet and they continued on. Emily made me release Teresa, so I stayed back with her. I explained to her what I had said. She shook her head in disappointment.

"You need to apologize, obviously. There is not much else you can do. You created a gash. That gash needs to heal. You destroyed every single bridge to Emily and Austin. Until those bridges are repaired, expect to be treated differently. Your brother won't want you around because you will remind him that this was his fault. Emily, won't want you around because she knows that you have a very dark side. I know all of this because I've been through the exact same thing." she said.

"What happened?" I asked. The dread that had once emanated from me now felt like it was crushing my very existence.

"I was about your original age when it happened. My species does not have any males at all, so we look for mates of other dinosaur types. Mostly of the Tyranitar and Rhydon types. I met a Tyranitar, but my mother disapproved of him because he was from a clan that had been in competition with ours for hunting privileges. One day, my mother caught me with him. She was about to attack him when I stepped in the way and used a moved that I had just learned. I used Hyper Beam. It hit and knocked my mother unconscious. When I turned to see what my friend would say, he had left. He said that he was not going to be around someone that would raise their hand against their own family. I never saw him again. My mother then banished me from the clan, I was never to be seen there again. Everyday, I regret what I did. My choices were poor and the consequences were great. Later I did find a mate and later came Hope. I named her that, in hope that one day I would be able to repair that bridge." Teresa said.

"Did you every make it up to her?" I asked. Teresa sighed and shook her head. "Oh."

"Time just wouldn't allow it. I met my first trainer about two months after Hope was born. After my trainer died, Celebi gave me, Brand, and Elweard the job of looking after you guys." Teresa walked silent for several long minutes. I walked quietly beside her. Austin and Emily were both farther down the path; nearly out of sight.

"We better catch up with your brother. He may be mad at you, but he still cares about your safety." she said.

"That's what I wanted to hear. You will make a great way for some sweet payback." a voice laughed darkly. "Get them, guys!"

Just then, three or four teens jumped out of the bushes. They all had Pokémon out and were raring for a fight.

"Devin! Get out of here and get your brother!" Teresa yelled. I was paralyzed. Every single one of the teens were shrimps compared to Teresa, but they were several heads taller than I was. They also had Pokémon out, whereas Teresa was the only one that I had near me, that could fight. I took off running when I realized that Teresa was yelling at me to go. I didn't get far because the leader of the small gang, the same jerk from before, shot his hand out and latched onto my wrist.

"Let go of him!" Teresa roared. An intense amount of heat and light began to focus at her gaping mouth. Seconds later, a large beam fired at the nearest Pokémon. The large rat-like creature was fried by the beam and fell over. I couldn't tell if it was dead or just merely unconscious.

"You idiots, do I have to do everything myself? Take care of that stupid Kangaskhan!" the leader of the gang yelled. Almost simultaneously, everyone in the group yelled orders. Some of the attacks were as trivial as small sparks, others were like large pillars of flames. Teresa let out a roar in pain, then fell to the ground.

"Hey Trevor, hand me that note we wrote earlier." the teen who had my arm said. A black haired kid dug in his pocket and pulled out a crumpled piece of paper and handed it to the leader. "Who has the tape?"

"Right here boss." another kid said. The kid tossed the roll of tape to the "boss".

"One of you hold him while I tape this on. We wouldn't want him escaping." Another teen stepped up. The leader was already about six foot. This other guy hovered over the leader by a good three inches. He also looked as though he could bend a cast iron skillet with his bare hands. I looked up at the guy and felt all hope of escape, leave me.

 **Austin's POV**

"Where in the world is Teresa and Devin? Devin wouldn't have been doing anything stupid, not with Teresa around." Emily wondered out loud.

"At the moment, I don't care. I need a break from Devin's mouth anyways." I said bitterly.

"He is still your brother. That should make you worry about him. If we were normal, we probably wouldn't have to worry about it, but we aren't. We do have to worry about him." I looked down at the ground and sighed.

"If he isn't here in five minutes, we'll go looking for him. He is probably just dragging his feet."

Five minutes passed by rather quickly yet there was still no sign of Devin or Teresa. It was beginning to worry me so me and Emily walked back down the path. To our horror, we found Teresa partially unconscious on the ground. She was scarred and severely beaten, but was still breathing. She cracked open a single eye and stared deeply into my eyes.

"They… they took h-him." she muttered.

"Who took him! Teresa! Who took Devin!" I yelled when her words sunk in. Teresa passed out. Emily and I began yelling Devin's name but we didn't hear a single response.

"Austin! I found this on top of Teresa!" Emily handed me a piece of paper.

"If you want to see your brother again, you will meet me under the great oak by sunrise tomorrow. Be there." I read out loud. A wave of nausea washed over me, and I collapsed to my knees.

* * *

As usual, I hope y'all enjoyed this chapter. If you have anything you would like to say, be sure to leave a review. If you are enjoying the story, be sure to smash that favorite/follow button. This is shieldliger001 signing off.


	5. Chapter 5

Hey guys, I am sorry that this is late. I had this done on Monday, but my computer cord went belly up so I had to wait for a new one. Anyways, I hope you like this chapter. On to the reviews.

Monpoke: I have thought about that very thing for a long time. I was fighting with myself on whether they would adapt immediately or not. I decided that I would base it on how hard they fight to continue on as they are. In OMAA, Katlyn had the hope to keep fighting off the adaption since she thought she would return to her old self. In A New Age, Celebi specifically states that she could not change them back because it could kill them. That is why I had Jeffric pull Devin and the other's souls out first. That means that they don't get the luxury of hoping to return to normal. Also, memories has to play a big role in this theory as well since memories play a big part in our development. I didn't want those memories to disappear. That is why I slowed down the whole adaption process.

Dunstann: I figured that if Mew saw someone near her kid, that she wouldn't be the most rational creature at that moment. Since she is so highly sought out by Team Rocket, I figured that she wouldn't care about what their intentions were. As for Jeffric, he was one of the only humans to sacrifice himself for one most deemed below them. That is why Jeffric is the way he is now.

Phillip Harbindinger: In this chapter, you will see why they didn't take Teresa. I'll explain more at the end of the chapter.

* * *

 **Any radical change or trauma always makes for interesting subject matter, but then all stories deal, to some extent, with the disjuncture between past and present.**

 **Damon Galgut**

* * *

 **Chapter 5**

 **Austin's POV**

I dry heaved several times in a nearby bush before I actually threw up. Emily rushed to my side and began try helping me back to my feet. I looked at her and saw that she was starting to cry. I stumbled a bit as we made our way back to a nearby bench. I felt as if somebody had stuck a knife in my gut and twisted it.

"Do you still have Teresa's Pokéball?" she asked after I had sat down.

I barely managed a nod and weakly attempted to retrieve the ball from my belt. I somehow managed to pull the ball from my belt and handed it to Emily. She fiddled with the knob on top for a bit, before she got the thing to turn in the right direction. Once she did, she aimed it at Teresa and Teresa disappeared in a flash of light. The large capsule resealed and Emily handed it back to me.

"What are we going to do now? We can't leave him with whoever took him. Can we call the police?" Emily asked.

"We could, but what would be the use? They would just put this off onto back order. Besides, we have to find Devin before sunrise tomorrow." I said glumly. I looked down at my feet. My fear and anger were beginning quench my sadness and shock.

"Does this Great Oak mean anything to you? Maybe we can give the police a specific location." Emily asked. She didn't look or sound very hopeful, but at the moment neither was I.

"No, I've never heard of it. This world is not an exact replica from the show or games. Emily, we have got to go get him back!" I shouted.

"I know that. There has to be some way to find them!" She cried. I looked down at my feet. Everything I had argued about with Devin before seemed trivial.

"Maybe Elweard can help!" I yelled with sudden inspiration.

"Elweard, are you any good at tracking?" I asked as he was released from the confines of his Pokéball.

" _Yes, Master Lee. I am an excellent tracker."_ the Lucario replied almost mechcanically.

"We have a problem, Teresa and Devin were attacked by somebody. Can you help us find him? We need to find them before sunrise tomorrow." A fire lit in the Lucario's eyes.

" _Nobody hurts my friend and nobody takes my master's brother! I will find the culprits and I will make them pay dearly for what they have done!"_ the Lucario clenched and unclenched his paws as his breathing increased. I was certain that he was going to explode, but he got his breathing under control. He slowly calmed down. _"I am sorry for my demeanor. I have lost to many friends to something of a similar cause."_

"It's ok, but please, start tracking them. I don't know what I would do if I somehow lost him hear." I prodded. Elweard closed his eyes. White steam-like aura surrounded him. His aura sensing organs on the back of his head waved wildly. They looked as if they were being blown away by a large gust of wind. His eyes flashed open and he darted away before I could even say a word.

 **Elweard's POV**

 **Viridian Forest, Sixty years ago**

"Look Chris, it's a Riolu! It looks hurt!" A soft voice called out to a Two Legged. A pang of fear had shot through my body. My hiding spot had been discovered and there was no way I could fight. I was in sorry shape. One of my arms had been nearly crushed. A large gash over my left eye, leaked blood. I had been starving for three days straight and I was sure that I had bruised my legs. The creature that had found me, turned out to be a Kangaskhan. She gently pulled the brush away from my hiding spot and smiled gently at me. I growled fiercely, but I came out more as an irritated whimper.

"Oh, you poor thing. Let me help you. We won't try to keep you against your will. This is my trainer, Chris." the Two Legged smiled shyly. He looked to be a very young Two Legged. He then started to move his hands in weird ways.

"W-what is h-he doing? _"_ I asked nervously. I tensed up in preparation of a fight.

"He is saying that he doesn't want to hurt you and that he just wants to dress your injuries. Chris cannot speak. He communicates through gestures and I translate what he says for others. My name is Teresa by the way. What is your name?" Teresa asked gently.

"I am one with no name. _"_ I said boldly.

"I see. Your family must be the type that only gives a name when you earn it. Will you let us heal your wounds little one?" I hesitated. I didn't know these two and I definitely didn't want anything to do with a Two Legged. Especially after Two Legged killed my family and nearly killed me.

"No, I don't need any help. _"_ I replied decisively. Teresa looked a bit surprised, but nodded her acceptance. I stood up to leave, but I suddenly felt dizzy. The world around me disappeared into darkness.

I awoke to the sound of a crackling fire. There was something sitting uncomfortably over my left eye. My crushed arm and been wrapped tightly in something large and white. All of my cuts had been cleaned and smaller white strips covered my legs. I looked around and noticed the same Two Legged from earlier was poking a stick into the fire. I growled lightly, which caught the attention of the Two Legged and his Kangaskhan.

"I am glad to see that you are awake. You have been unconscious for nearly two days." Teresa said with a smile. I noticed this time that she was holding a small baby Kangaskhan. I noticed how Teresa tenderly held the baby and it reminded me of my own mother.

"Did you wrap these white things around me? _"_ I asked Teresa. She shook her head.

"No. Chris did. His father is a Pokémon doctor. He taught Chris how to do simple first aid. Chris cleaned all of your wounds and bandaged them up." Teresa explained.

"Why did he help? I said that I didn't want anyone's help. _"_ I asked.

"Why don't I just ask him for you? Chris, why did you help?" the Two Legged smiled shyly as his hands moved fluidly through the air. "He said that he couldn't leave you as you were. He knew you needed help and he wasn't going to be the type that would leave a person wounded in the middle of the forest."

"Person? I thought all Two Legged thought of us as tools. That's what the other Two Legged said when they killed my family and nearly killed me! _"_ I yelled. I couldn't understand the mercy that this Two Legged had shown me. It didn't make any sense that some small Two Legged would not follow what his elders.

"Not all humans are the same, Chris here comes from a small town that tries to protect Pokémon as much as possible. Just last night, Chris' parents picked up two men. They had killed several Pokémon. They also had several beaten Pokémon in cages. One of those Pokémon was a female Lucario." Teresa explained. "She had been asking for her young son the entire time we have been taking care of her. Chris' father sent us message, since we were already out here, to find him. It just so happened that we already found you"

"What? _"_ My heart skipped several beats.

 **three days earlier**

I thought that it was some kind of attack, but it was to fast to be an Aura Sphere. I never even saw what had hit her. I just remembered that my mother had fallen near where my dead father and older brother lay. She yelled for me to run. She told me to get away; that I would be no help. Her cries rewarded her with one of the Two Legged slamming a wood and metal stick down hard on her head. Her cries had disappeared. That is when they turned their sights on me. One of them aimed their wood and metal stick at me. The other one just smiled savagely. The stick made a silent hiss. By blind luck, I turned my head just enough so that the object sailing at me, merely grazed me. I took off running. I cried as I ran. I tripped and stumbled many times and bruised nearly every inch of my body. The Two Legged managed to catch up with me after I had fallen. One of the Two legged smiled sinisterly at me as he kicked me against a tree. I was to young to fight back. All I could do was take the beating as it came. They kicked me and beat me to the ground. One laid his foot on my arm and snapped it in four different places.

"If you hadn't of run off, we would have let you live. There are a lot of rich folks out there that would pay some serious dough for you." one of the Two Legged sneered. "Luckily for us, they will pay just slightly less for your pelt."

The Two Legged picked me up. I tried to struggle, but was completely powerless. As a last resort, I bit the Two Legged's arm. He yelped and let go. I tumbled to the ground as the second Two Legged laughed horridly.

"Son of a… What are you waiting for! Shoot that little bas..." A sound had arose above the two Two Legged. A loud whining sound.

"Crap, it's the law! Let's get out of here!" Both Two Legged ran as fast as they could.

 **Three days later**

"We can take you to her if you want." Teresa said.

"I saw them die. Are you sure it is her? Is Momma still alive? _"_ I asked in tears. Teresa nodded with a small smile.

"Please, take me to her! _"_ I pleaded.

"We will take you to her." Teresa reassured. She picked me up and we started walking.

It took the better part of the day to reach the town the Kangaskhan spoke of. Chris and Teresa led me to a small plain structure. Chris opened the door, and Teresa carried me inside. Two older Two Legged walked into the room. They hugged Chris and told him that they were glad he was safe. Chris replied with another set of hand gestures. They praised him for finding me and the female Two legged took me from Teresa. I felt rather uncomfortable about this. I still didn't trust Chris, much less an adult Two Legged, but Chris didn't give me any reason not to trust him. So, I put up with the transfer. The female carried me into another room. It was completely sterile smelling. There wasn't another scent at all except for the female Two Legged, me, and a Lucario. I recognized that scent as my mother's. She was laying on a metal table in the middle of the room. She had been bound up in many places just as I have been. She still had a little blood on her fur, but otherwise she was clean.

"Momma! _"_ I yelled. She turned her head towards me slightly. Her breathing had increased slightly. I began to cry. _"_ I'm sorry I couldn't help! I'm sorry that I am not strong. I promise that I will never let anyone take you ever again! _"_

" _You…_ don't have… to be sorry for anything. Just remember; not everyone… are like those two humans. There are good ones as well. Promise me that you will protect them as well as you will protect me. You and I both owe them our lives. Unfortunately, I may not be able to repay… my debt. _"_ Mom closed her eyes and didn't open them again.

"Momma! Wake up! Please wake up! _"_ I cried.

"Don't worry little one. She is merely unconscious. She needs her rest." the female Two Legged reassured me. "Why don't you go and play with some of the other Pokémon here? Teresa? Do you mind taking the Riolu to the play area?"

"Yes ma'am, Mrs. Wesson." Teresa replied as she took me from the Two Legged.

"I promise. Momma, I promise. _"_ I said quietly as we left.

 **Present day**

I dodged trees left and right. The sounds of people cheering and laughing had finally reached my ears as I followed the traces of aura. I felt a dangerous level of anger flood my body. Adrenaline began to enter my bloodstream as I found a new burst of speed. Seconds later. I burst into a large clearing with a single large Oak in the center.

 **Devin's POV**

It had been several hours since my kidnapping. The gang of teens decided that they would sit all around me, since they had apparently forgot to bring some rope. By now, I was extremely frightened and I was growing hungry. As if to mock me, several of the teens began to pull out lunches out of their bags. There was only one that didn't begin to eat. He kept staring at his food, then at me. He then got up and walked over to me and sat next to me.

"I'm sorry that my friends are treating you this way. George over there, gets a little rash when someone beats him. Here, have some of my sandwich." the teen offered me a half of a meat sandwich. I wanted to refuse it with all of my might, but my stomach would not let me do it. I snatched it away from him. I looked up as I ate and noticed that the teen was smiling.

"Why are you smiling?" I asked suspiciously.

"You remind me of my little brother. He eats just like you do." he laughed.

"Great, now I remind people of their little siblings." I moaned. "You seem like a nice guy, why are you here with these weirdos?"

"I don't really know. We just hang out and do things. They make me feel like I'm apart of something important." the teen shrugged.

"You know that what you are doing is wrong, right? I mean you kidnapped me. How would you feel if your brother was kidnapped?" I asked as a plan of escape formed in my mind. The teens eyes shifted as he mused over my question.

"I guess I would be angry and scared. You know, for a munchkin, you sound awfully like an adult." the teen replied.

"If only you knew the half of it." I muttered.

"My name is Robert, what's your name?" Robert asked.

"My name is Devin. C-can you somehow get me back to my brother?" I replied. I put on my best puppy dog look and prayed that he would help me. Robert looked uncertain. He did seem to have a few conflicting emotions inside him.

"I can't. It would make George mad if I helped you. Don't worry, we aren't planning to hurt anyone. We just want to get back George's money that he lost." Robert replied.

"Why are you following a jerk like him? He is trouble. You may be there when he needs someone around, but he is not the type to be there for you when you need help." I tried to reason.

"George isn't like that. He would be there for me if I needed him to be." Robert argued.

"Can you guarantee that?" I asked quietly.

"No, I guess not." Robert sighed. "Alright, I'll help, but you are going to have to listen to every word I say." I nodded my agreement. "George! The kid has to go to the restroom. I'm going to take him out into the woods!"

"Rob, I don't give a crap about the kid. Do whatever it takes to get him to stop making noise. He can sit there and starve for all I care. Just make sure he doesn't escape." George said as he waved Robert off.

"Ok kid, let's get this over with." Robert said to me.

We walked out of sight of the other teens. This was the first time that I got an extremely good look of Robert. He was taller then most of the other teens. My guess is that he was about six feet tall. He had short, dark hair, and dark skin. He was more toned than most of the others and he had dark brown eyes.

"Where are we going?" I asked as we walked.

"I'm taking you to my house. It's not far from here and my parents will be happy to watch you until your brother shows up. You can even play with my little brother if you wanted." Robert shrugged.

"What if my brother doesn't show up?" I asked cautiously.

"Why wouldn't he?" Robert countered. For some reason, I felt like I could trust Robert. He seemed honest and he was the first person to not look down on me since I arrived in this world.

"I got into a fight with him today. He said that I was being a nuisance, and that it was causing more problems than it was worth. I told him that it was his fault that we were even in the main situation. He nearly passed out because he felt so guilty about what happened." I explained.

"I was wondering why you were so far behind your brother and sister. So what happened? What were you guys really arguing about?"

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you. I'm not even sure if I believe it, and I was there." I replied. Robert just smiled.

"I've seen some pretty weird things myself."

"I guess I could tell you. It started with my brother's DS."

 **Elweard's POV**

The group of humans I found were startled by my appearance. My anger towards them was apparent by my constant clenching of my paws.

" _Which one of you has the boy! Tell me!"_ I demanded. Not a single person twitched. Not a single person spoke. _"Answer me!"_ I yelled.

"He left with Robert. We haven't seen the kid or Robert in about fifteen minutes, so it's safe to assume that they went back towards his house. Despite Robert's size, he never really had the guts to be a true member of the gang." the ringleader of the group said with a shrug.

" _He better not be hurt. If he is, I w_ _ill_ _make each and_ _every_ _one of you pay dearly."_ I replied. I closed my eyes and picked up another aura trail that seemed to be heading towards the Pokémon center.

"Hold on just a minute. Me and my boys here aren't going to let you leave until you have a battle with me." the leader stood up to me and his hand itched toward one of two Pokéballs that hung from his belt loop.

" _If you want to fight me, be warned that I will annihilate you. You better not start with the Raticate like you did last time."_ I warned.

"I wasn't planning on using Jewel. She is powerful but sending her against you would be rather foolhardy at best. No, I have something else in stored for you.

"Boss, you really should consider changing the name of your Raticate. Jewel doesn't sound very tough. It makes you sound like a wimp." one of the other humans said.

"I told you that I am not going to change her name. I sacrificed enough by calling her Raticate while I battle!" the leader shouted. The kid that spoke up faltered then backed up. "As I was saying, I think you will get a kick out of this one. Go, Gordon!" A quick throw and a bright flash later, a rather large Kadabra appeared. A pang of concern followed by a wave of grim determination.

" _If it is a fight you want, it is a fight you will get."_ I sighed.

"Gordon, use Psybeam!" The Kadabra grabbed its spoon in both hands. The spoon began to fluctuate in color just before a beam of multicolored psychic energy erupted at me. I jumped to the side; dodging the beam by a sizable margin. I quickly pushed my arm up at the Kadabra and focused an Aura Sphere into existences. I loosed the ball of energy. The Kadabra didn't wait for his trainer's orders and threw up an energy barrier.

"Gordon, use Psychic." the human said calmly. I felt as if someone had switched off the gravity. I floated up into the air and was left suspended there. With a single flick of the Kadabra spoon, I was sent flying into the large Oak tree. "Do it again Gordon." Before I could recover, I was raised into the air again.

" _I won't go for a second time."_ I said confidently. I placed both of my paws together and silvery energy poured into my paws from the several spikes on my body.

"What are you doing?" the human asked in wonderment.

" _Two words: Flash Cannon."_ The silver energy transformed into a silver and red beam of energy. It shot straight at the Kadabra at an amazing speed. The Kadabra quickly threw up a barrier but had to drop the Psychic attack, in order to put all of its strength into canceling out my attack. Once the attack had ended, the Kadabra dropped its arms out of exhaustion. It panted heavily and seemed ready to take out.

"Gordon, use recover!" The Kadabra began to glow a deep green. The small amount of physical damage caused by my Flash Cannon disappeared completely. The Kadabra raised its arms in a ready position and waited. "Now use your Psycho Cut!" The Kadabra's spoon turned a dark purple. It was so dark that it was on the verge of turning black. In one swift movement, it brought its arm over its head swiped the wave of psychic energy down at me. I reacted with a quickly charged Aura Sphere. My Aura Sphere was almost instantly sliced in half. The two halves flew in different directions and collided with the ground. The Psycho Cut continued its charge towards me. I jumped away as fast as I could, but the wave managed to hit me in the left shoulder. I cringed in pain as the psychic energy seared my pain receptors. My arm and shoulder felt as if someone had ripped it off. My arm hung limply by my side and I turned to face my opponent.

" _That was a good attack. I should have dodged instead of countered. Congratulations. I guess I should take this more seriously. You better be ready because, ready or not here I come."_ I replied with a smirk. It had been quite a while since I had to actually try in a fight. The last time was back when we had taken on the Pokémon league challenge. The Kadabra bowed slightly to me and waited for his trainer to give an order. I, on the other hand, did not. I had just the move that would get me in close. I closed my eyes then opened them. Everything around me slowed down. The trainer I was battling seemed to be in slow motion. His mouth moved slowly as he issued an order. The Kadabra's movements also seemed extremely slow. I took my time getting over to the Kadabra. When I was in range, I placed my paw right in the Kadabra's solar plexus. I closed my eyes once again and then reopened them. My attack was so fast that it knocked the Kadabra several feet back. It wheezed and coughed as it tried to regain its lost oxygen.

"Gordon! Use Recover!" the teen yelled.

" _I don't think so."_ I stated as I began another Extreme Speed attack. Once again, everything was slowed to a minimum. Instead of taking my time like I did last time, I went straight into my attack. Silvery energy ran down my right arm as I concentrated on pouring a good portion of my power into my attack. I then rushed at the Kadabra and placed my right hand in the Kadabra's face. I closed my eyes, the opened them. The attack was point blank. Silver and red streaks filled out the color of my Flash Cannon. The explosion blew the Kadabra and my self backwards. I caught myself in mid-air and landed safely on the ground. The Kadabra, on the other hand, flew about ten feet in the air then crashed to the ground. The leader of the group stared at the scene that had unfolded; his mouth, agape.

"Gordon!" the teen yelled. He let out a sigh and returned the Kadabra. I didn't gloat. Instead, I just bowed and disappeared into the deep forest.

 **Devin's POV**

"That is quite the story. I don't think I have heard anything like it." Robert said as we walked. "That does explain why you weren't acting like any other five-year-old."

"Yeah, well don't go around telling everyone. The last thing any of us need is for some scientist wanting to figure out how it happened." I replied sternly. In my current state, my sternness was not very effective. Robert just smiled.

"How do I know that it is nothing more than a story? What kind of proof can you give me?" Robert asked lightheartedly. Of course I didn't pickup on his teasing and thought he was serious.

"I… I don't really have any. All of my stuff is with my brother." I confessed.

"It doesn't matter If it is true or not. I said I would help you and that is what I will do."

"Thanks." I said quietly.

"No problem, kid. Well, we're here. I'll let my parents know that you're here. You can wait here on the front porch." Robert said as we arrived at an old house. Robert disappeared into the house and I took a seat on the steps of the porch.

* * *

I Hope y'all liked the chapter. I enjoyed showing some back story on Elweard and Teresa. Maybe next chapter or two, I'll showcase Brand. The teens wouldn't be able to lift Teresa even if they wanted to. I also doubt that they would be smart enough, to use a psychic type Pokémon to lift her either. That is the reason they didn't take Teresa. The reason Austin had the Teresa's Pokéball, is pretty simple. If I was in Devin's shoes, I wouldn't want a motherly dinosaur anywhere near me. My first reaction would be to place her back in the Pokéball. If you have anything to say, you know what to do. If you are enjoying the story, be sure to smash that favorite/follow button. This is shieldliger001, signing off.


	6. Chapter 6

Hey guys, I just want to apologize for this coming out so late. I had state and college testing plus I have been sick for the past few days. All in all, it has been a pretty crappy month. Anyways, enough of my sob story and onto the reviews.

Monpoke: Honestly, I have something planned that should make this a little more unexpected. Hopefully it will be a nice twist and something nobody expects.

Philip Harbindinger: The poacher's speech was intentional. I wanted them to seem like idiots. I'm glad that I was able to make them sound the way I wanted. You are right about the move Recover. There is almost no use for the move because it is not well balanced. The only time I have seen that move actually work was when I used Hypnosis and then used it during a gym battle. If you can't buy yourself some time. The move is completely useless. This is for all of the soldiers fighting for our freedom in the U.S. I pray that everyone one of them return from the battlefield unscathed and those that don't will never be forgotten. I hope that everyone in Brussels attack will recover and that the ones responsible will be punished.

* * *

 **I admire the military. I guess in a world of villains and heroes, they're my heroes. Their dedication, their commitment, their discipline, their code of ethics.**

 **John Cena**

* * *

 **Chapter 6**

 **Devin's POV**

Robert guided me through the house into the kitchen area. It was very large with all of the appliances lined up against the wall. There was a large island in the middle of the kitchen with several stools surrounding. Two of the stools were occupied by a man and a woman. The man was about six feet five inches. He had dark skin and eyes just like Robert. His hair was a dark brown. His face seemed kind and trusting, but I had a hard time trusting anyone in the past and I wasn't going to start today. The woman was quite a bit shorter than the man. She seemed to be about five foot six inches. Her skin was a shade lighter than her husband, and her hair was a deep brown.

"Hello there. What's your name, little one?" the woman asked kindly. A wave of nervousness washed over me. I didn't know these people and they were already asking questions.

"My n-name is D-Devin." I stuttered.

"Is that your first name?" the man asked just as kindly. I slowly nodded my head.

The woman looked at her husband then looked back to me. "Devin, what is your last name. We just want to help you find your brother." she said.

"L-Lee. We got separated in the woods when we were heading to the next town." I said quickly, praying that I hadn't said to much. Despite their kindness, I was sensing something from them. Nothing bad, but definitely not in my own interest.

"Ok, we will get started on finding your brother. We have some strings that we can pull and we will be sure to pull them." the man said standing up. "Robert, why don't you take Devin to your brother's room? I'm sure Devin would like to play with someone his own age."

"Ok, Dad. Come on Devin, it's this way." Robert said waving for me to follow. I reluctantly followed.

 **Elweard's POV**

I tracked Devin all the way to a gated fence. The bars went up ten or so feet making it hard for me to get over. As I tracked Devin's aura, I noticed that the property was somewhat nice. It wasn't fancy but it was the farthest thing from lower class. The house was odd to me. It was quite the contrast to the houses I was used to seeing. I followed the aura trail to the front door. I sighed deeply and tried looking for any open windows. To my dismay, the large single story house did not have a single window open. I did find the room Devin was in. He seemed to be in a bedroom. I couldn't see much, but I did see Devin and another boy playing. Devin seemed intent, but his aura was flaming with embarrassment. He just so happened to look up and see me. He brightened up for a second, then returned to playing. His aura showed his relief and I smiled.

" _Devin, don't react. I am going to get your brother. I'll be back as soon as I can. If you have anything to say use your thoughts."_ I said through aura.

" _You guys better hurry! I have a bad feeling about these people. They are nice but they aren't acting like regular people. The kid here with me said that both of his parents work for some agency. He doesn't know which one, but I don't think it matters!"_ Devin said nervously.

" _Alright, you hold tight. I'll be sure to get back here as soon as possible."_ I replied as I dashed off towards the way I had come.

 **Third Person POV**

"Hun, I talked to Phil. He said that he would have word out about the boy's missing brother." the woman said as she entered the office.

"That's good. I hope that Robert's description was good enough." the man replied as he studied the computer screen. "Man, this does not make any sense." He muttered.

"What's wrong?" Crystal asked.

"Devin Lee is in the system. He was born in the Kanto Children hospital in Saffron City."

"Ok, so what's the problem?" Crystal asked.

"The problem is that there are no records of his his parents. There are no records of vaccinations and there are no records of any kind of schooling. In fact, the records that we do have only appeared about a month ago."

"Dean, are you telling me that this kid isn't even in the system? How is that possible? The first thing the doctors are supposed to do is input newborns into the computers." Crystal replied. Dean looked perplexed and began to type another query on his laptop.

"It says here that the attending physician is Doctor Len G. Dary." Dean said as he looked up from his computer.

"I'll get to work contacting him. Also, I pulled up a list of possible relatives. Two names popped up that really interested me. There was an Austin Lee and an Emily Lee. Ages: eleven and eight. They too were delivered by the same doctor and their records suggest that they only existed for about three to four weeks. There is no information on parents nor are there any records of vaccinations, schooling, or even a social security number. Looking at the birth certificates, I'd that these are the worst fakes I have ever seen. The problem is that they can't be fake."

"Here is something else in Devin Lee's file. It says that Austin Lee is the boy's legal guardian." Dean said looking back to the computer screen.

"That can't be right. Austin Lee's birth certificate states that he is eleven years old. You have two be twenty-one in order to be the legal guardian of a child." Crystal stated.

"What about this Emily Lee? What does it say about her?"

"She is eight, and she has a junior trainer permit under her older brother. Other than that, her records are basically nonexistent like the rest."

"You better call up Phil and tell him that these kids just don't exist in our records." Dean sighed. He wiped his brow and leaned back in his chair.

"Do you think they are illegals?" Crystal asked.

"No, but I do suspect that their parents didn't want them to be known. I think that we are dealing with three runaways." Dean dismissed.

"If that is the case, what will we have to do?" Crystal asked.

"We can't do much with the two older ones. One is a trainer and the other has junior trainer permit. Unfortunately, we may have to take Devin away from his brother and sister. He is too young to have a JTP and his brother should not even have guardianship over him. Just call Phil up and I'll research this doctor Len Dary and try to get a hold of him." Dean said sullenly.

Dean and Crystal sometimes hated their jobs. Breaking apart families even for the betterment of the children was a hard thing to do in some cases. Unfortunately, that was their job. They went about their various task in silence, and thought about what they would tell Devin when the time came.

 **Austin's POV**

By the time Elweard got back, it was getting dark. He told me that he had found Devin at someone's house. When I asked him why didn't bring Devin back he said that it would be bad if he had broken in. I thought that he was joking at first but then he said that the house belonged to a couple of agents. Figuring that Elweard had made the best choice, I accepted his testament. I wanted to get Devin out of there, but I couldn't see my hand in front of my face. Despite the darkness, I still wanted to get Devin out of there. Elweard talked me out of it. He said that it was too dangerous for us to be stumbling around in the dark.

I was up by six A.M. the next morning. Elweard stayed out of his Pokéball the entire night and helped me get everything packed up. We ate a quick breakfast of granola bars and Elweard began leading us to the house where Devin was being held.

Are you sure that this is the right direction?" I asked as we walked through the woods. "When you said that it was a gated house, I thought you followed a road to get there."

" _Yes, we are going the right way. There was a road, but I did not follow it. I just backtracked the way I came."_ Elweard replied. I sighed impatiently. After another hour we finally reached the gate. There was an electrical code box for the gate. Just under the gate's code box was a single button and a speaker.

"Should I press that?" I asked pointing at the speaker and button.

"I guess it wouldn't hurt. Besides, I don't see any other way of getting in." Emily replied.

I pressed the button and waited. After a few seconds, I pressed it again.

This time, a voice answered. "This is the Walker residence, is there something I can help you with?"

"Yes, have you seen my brother? He is about five years old with red hair and green eyes." I asked. There was a long pause before the voice replied.

"You better come in. There is something we need to discuss." the voice answered with a deep sigh. I sick feeling began to form in the pit of my stomach. The gate opened and we all walked inside.

A man and a woman stood on the front porch. They looked from Elweard to me, then to Emily. They seemed anxious, especially when they saw Elweard. As we approached the porch, the man stepped off and came toward us.

"You must be Austin and Emily. Your little brother told us a little about you two. Why don't we go inside and get acquainted." the man said as he held out his hand for a handshake.

"Yeah that's us. We are just here to pickup our brother. We really don't want to be a bother." I said politely.

"Unfortunately, there is something that we need to discuss. Please, come inside." the man frowned. I sighed and nodded. The man and woman turned around and went inside the house.

We were all seated in the living. It was painted a golden brown color and had cream colored carpet. The two couches were dark brown leather with metal studs pressed into the edges of the armrests. There was a large TV cabinet placed in front of the couches. Two windows lit the room from behind the couches.

"My name is Dean, and this is my wife Crystal." the man introduced. We shook hands and Dean began to look between the three of us. "You are probably wondering where your brother is. Am I right?"

"Yes, sir. Is he here?" I asked.

"Yes, he is, but we cannot allow you to take him back." Crystal spoke up.

"What? Why?" I yelled.

"We are apart of the Children welfare and safety agency. It is the sister agency of the Child Protection Services. We basically assess a child's well being in a questionable home. Devin lives on the road with you. Am I correct?" Dean explained.

"Yeah, I got the papers saying that I am his legal guardian right here." I replied as I began to search through the my bag. I quickly found it and handed it to Dean. He looked it over carefully before handing it to me.

"I don't know how you got that, but it is a fake. It is illegal for the government to issue a guardianship to anyone under the age of twenty-one. We found all of this in our database. Your records are almost nonexistent. All we had was this paper and your birth certificates. Do you have any explanation for that?" Crystal said.

"No, we don't." Emily muttered.

"Where are your parents?" Dean asked.

"They… died. In a car wreck. I became a trainer a month ago. That was when I got the guardianship papers. I didn't want to leave Devin in some home." I explained. I hoped beyond hope that the sob story would make them keep Devin with us. The pit in my stomach that formed earlier, deepened considerably. Dean began to shake his head sadly.

"I'm sorry to hear that. I truly am. I know what it is like to lose a parent. I lost my father to cancer when I was twelve. But, Devin cannot go with you. He must be in a place where he can be raised appropriately. It just is not lawful for him to be with you two." Dean said remorsefully.

"B-but you don't understand! He has to be with us. We… we are trying to meet up with some relatives! They can take care of us!" Emily yelled between sobs.

"We don't have any records of living relatives. We will try to find these relatives if they exist, but he will not be staying with you for the remainder of your journey." Dean said steadfastly.

"Can… can we at least see him?" I asked. I was trembling profusely and could not seem to get control of the tremors. Dean nodded and stood up. Waving to us, he walked into the hallway. We walked through the hallway a few feet then stopped in front of a door. Dean knocked lightly then waited. The door clicked and cracked open and a little boy appeared.

"Hey, Shawn. Is Devin in there with you?" Dean asked. Shawn nodded and opened the door. Devin was on the lone bed of the room. He sat there holding his wallet as if it were a phone and stared at it deeply. He looked up and saw me and Emily. He jumped up in excitement, dropped the wallet on the bed, and rushed over to us. He hugged me tightly which left me slightly shocked. He then did the same to Emily. He ran back into the room and picked up the wallet he dropped.

"When are we going to get back on the road?" he asked happily.

"Do you mind if we have some privacy?" I asked Dean. He nodded curtly then backed out of the room.

"Shawn, you continue to play and let me know if anything goes wrong. Do you understand?" Dean asked. Suspicion leaked from his voice. The boy nodded then returned to playing.

Devin gave me a worried glance as Dean left the room.

"Austin, what is going on?" Devin asked tersely. I hesitated and looked at Emily. She only shrugged and mouthed for me to tell Devin what was going on.

"Turns out, these people work for an agency that deals with family issues and crap like that. They believe that we are some sort of fake family or something, and want to take you away." I said in a whisper.

Devin's skin paled and a horrified look overtook his face. He began to tremble. Out of anger or fear, I could not tell. Several long seconds crawled by before anyone said anything. Devin interrupted the silence with a small but harsh laugh.

"So, we aren't even close to finishing this nightmare and it goes from bad to worse. I guess Murphy's Law wins again! So what are you going to do? Leave me here in this world and head home? I know that you think I am a large pain. Leaving me here would make you so much happier!" Devin yelled angrily.

The sudden explosion of anger took me by surprise. The bad thing was that I could deny what he said. He has been the cause of the problems we all are having. He couldn't shut his loud mouth long enough to not get us shrunk down to kids again. But, no matter how much of a pain he has been, I was not going to leave him here. If I did, it would probably be the war of the worlds.

"Devin you have been more obnoxious in the past week then you have the entire time I've been alive. Despite that, I would never just leave you here by yourself. We will figure this out. Just be patient." I promised.

Devin didn't seem to buy it, but he didn't feel like arguing about it either. He looked down at the wallet in his hand and then pulled out a piece of paper. He handed it to me then jumped up on the large bed. I glanced at it and realized why he had been studying the picture so diligently. It was a picture of him, Jonah, and I at a paintball park. It was one of the few times that we had actually gotten along. I placed the picture in my pocket and pulled out Teresa's Pokéball.

"Here, I know that you feel like a toddler whenever she is around, but she will help you no matter what. I don't know what we are going to do yet, but I will let you know." I said as I tossed the ball to Devin. He grumbled a bit but quickly caused the old Pokéball to disappear.

"Devin, I promise you that we will get you out of here." Emily said quietly.

"I know. I just wish that we never got into this situation in the first place." Devin sighed. Suddenly his face lit up, which sent a shiver down my spine. "That's it! Go talk to their son, Robert! I told him about what happened to us on the way here! He may be able to help!" Devin said with a hushed yell. I quickly shushed him in order not to disturb the completely zoned out kid on the other side of the room.

"Who, is Robert?" Emily asked.

"He is the guy that got me away from the other guys." Devin explained.

"So, he is the one that decided that he should turn you into the government?" I asked coldly.

"He said he just wanted to help." Devin defended.

"Yeah? Well, his help ruined our plans!" I replied.

"Just talk to him, and get his help. He may be able to get us out of here." Devin said with a sigh.

"Alright. Whatever. We will see you later. Don't do anything stupid until we talk to you again." I said as I headed to the door. Devin muttered and stared at us as we left. My gut wrenched as I opened the door. I could feel Devin's gaze follow me even after I had left the room. I took a breath and walked back down the hallway. Emily followed quietly behind me. We found Dean and Crystal sitting in the same seats they were in when we first came in. We sat back down and Emily began the conversation with a question we both knew the answer to.

"Is there any way we can keep Devin with us? You have to understand, we haven't been separated ever. It would be painful for him to be taken." Emily started.

"Unfortunately, there is not a single thing we can do. The law is the law. The only reason we can't take you as well is because you are signed up with a JTP. Since you three just miraculously appeared. We are checking to see if you are even signed up as trainers by Professor Oak himself." Crystal replied. I froze for a second and knew what was coming next. If it happened. We would be completely and totally screwed.

 **Devin's POV**

Since Shawn was in the room, I decided it would be best not to release Teresa. Instead, I decided to "play" with Shawn to keep up the appearance of being younger than I really was. At least that was what I told myself. Deep inside, I felt a strange urge to play with the large amount of toys that filled the room. The kid had just about everything you could actually want. From Lego to Hot Wheels. If it was kid friendly, he had it. I sat down next to a large tub of Lego and began to build something. I didn't have anything really in mind, I just felt like building something. After about fifteen minutes, I put a couple of finishing touches onto my creation. It was a fighter jet that I remembered from home. I based it off the F/A-18 Hornet flown by the Blue Angels. I sighed sadly. They planned routines with easy. Pulling off maneuvers that could kill them if they were only a centimeter off. Yet, we could not follow a plan that was designed for an idiot. I placed the plane on the ground and looked at Shawn. He watched me with fascination.

"How did you build that?" he asked in utter amazement.

"Practice." I shrugged. Shawn just stared at me. "What?"

"Can you show me how to do that?" the boy asked.

I thought for a moment before answering.

"Sure, but you have to do something for me. Ok?"

 **Jeffric's POV**

"Celebi! _"_ I yelled as I floated around the seemingly abandon shrine. Although the rain, overgrown briar, and vines gave the shrine an air of ancient abandon, shrine was not vacant. Inside, Celebi slept peacefully. Under normal circumstances, I would not have dreamt of waking the time guardian, but when her sleep was interfering with her job, I make exceptions.

Celebi was lying on a large pillow, probably something she "borrowed" out of time. I tried several times to get her to wake up but she would not budge. After quick deliberation, I closed my eyes and concentrated on lifting her up. I quickly tossed her out into the rain. To my amazement, she didn't even twitch her gossamer wings. I floated out into the rain and smacked her with a Wake-Up Slap. She did not move. I looked at the sleeping creature and couldn't help but to wonder what went wrong. My technique was flawless and the power was more than adequate. Suddenly, laughter broke out from inside the shrine. I looked back and my mouth dropped open. Celebi was standing at the entrance of the shrine, laughing at me. I looked back to where Celebi had been sleeping and found a small rock in her place.

"You should have seen your face! You looked as if you were going to die when your move didn't work!" she laughed.

"Would you stop playing around? You are playing with my wife's… mate's… whatever you want to call Mew! You are playing with her life, and the life of my son! _"_ I yelled out of frustration.

"I am not! Everything is going as planned." Celebi said indignantly.

"Did you know that those kids got caught? Did you see that they are going to be split up? How do you think that will affect their chances of success? They won't be able to save her if they are too busy trying to help the youngest one escape the freaking government. This is not like my time period where nobody cared about children with no parents! There are so many records they need and you only gave them the birth certificates! You made a huge mistake and you need to fix it! _"_ I yelled. Celebi was taken back by my outburst and tried her best to calm me down.

"I didn't really know! Honest! I was monitoring another time period and forget to check on them! _"_ Celebi explained.

"I don't care! Get the mistake fixed right now! _"_ I replied vehemently. Celebi nodded then vanished into the time lines. A few seconds later, she reappeared. A looked of worry filled her face.

"We may have a small problem. _"_ Celebi said quietly.

"And what would that be? _"_ I asked in irritation.

"I tried to get back into the time before the three kids got here but I was barred from it. Apparently I made too many visits there and Dialga and Palkia banned me from it. If it was just Dialga, I could get in there with no problem, but Palkia is helping Dialga and distorting the entry frequency. _"_ Celebi explained. I growled out of irritation.

"What are you going to do about this? _"_ I asked.

"Don't worry I have a plan, but you need to be apart of it. _"_ Celebi said convincingly.

"Well? What is it? _"_ I asked curiously. Celebi motioned me to come closer. I thought that was slightly odd but I obeyed. She began to whisper in my ear and my eyes widened.

"Are you insane? _"_ I yelled.

* * *

I hope y'all enjoyed this chapter. I can't wait to start working on the next one. That is when I can introduce the plan that Celebi has. I want to thank everybody that has supported this story and my other stories. I am sad to say that OMAA is almost at its closing point. I am having a lot of fun writing that one. I am also having a lot of fun writing this one. I just hope that people are enjoying this one as well. I'd like to thank Monpoke and Philip Harbindinger for their support and hope that they continue to give me that support. This is shieldliger001 signing off.


	7. Chapter 7

'Tis I, 'tis I the Liger with shields. OK that was terrible, sue me. Hey guys! So here is another chapter of A New Age. I am in school at this moment so I am lucky to be able to publish this at the moment. I don't really have much to say so let's get onto the reviews.

Monpoke: Thanks for the review and glad to see that you are still following the story. I have recovered quite well and feel like my old self again. Assuming that you were talking about my being sick. I am still having trouble with my translator so I apologize if I misinterpreted what you said.

Philip Harbindinger: The quote was apart of the AN. I forgot to space it correctly. I'll take the two as a good thing. Hey I need every compliment I can get, lol. I thought that quote was really cool, and it summed up my thoughts on our military. I know some think they are murderers, but those men and women need all of the support we can give them for doing something that we may not want to do ourselves. Finally, I am going to drag this issue out for a few days (in story of course). I want this to be kind of a new direction for the story. I mean how boring would life be if you saw the bad things coming?

How2101: I am not done with OMAA, I just had a lot going on with school. Luckily school is almost out and I should be updating more regularly.

* * *

 **Learning to trust is one of life's most difficult tasks.**

 **Isaac Watts**

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 **Chapter 7**

 **Devin's POV**

Austin and Emily were given guest rooms in the house. Apparently, Dean and Crystal felt that they wouldn't take me in the middle of the night. However, they would not allow them to see me without one of them near me. I ended up having to share Shawn's room. It beat having to sleep outdoors, but I really didn't feel comfortable in a room that wasn't my own.

Since the sun was beginning to set, Dean said that we had to get ready for bed. He told Shawn to let me sleep in the bed and that Shawn had to sleep on the floor. Shawn whined a bit but quieted down once his father had threatened severe consequences. I laughed inside my head because it was something my parents used to do to me. I closed my eyes and tried to sleep.

My dreams were fitful, which was a first in a while. They were about my home in Texas. Things were back to the way they were. My dad never made his crazy warp drive thing. Suddenly, my dreams of normalcy were ruined. Something kept poking me in the side and it wouldn't stop. I opened a single eye and came face to face with a dark silhouette. I jumped nearly ten feet in the air. When I calmed down, I saw that it was only Shawn.

"What are you doing? You scared me to death!" I said in a hushed tone.

"I'm scared." Shawn replied in a trembling voice. I sighed and shook my head. I should have guessed that something like this would happen. 'Little kids, always scared of something. Now that I think about it, it is a little creepy in here.'

"Do you think you can come with me to my mommy?" Shawn asked hopefully. I looked at the cracked door and saw that there was still a light on in one of the other rooms.

"Sigh, fine." I conceded. It was obvious that I wouldn't get any sleep otherwise. I slowly got up and dropped to the floor. I began towards the door and Shawn fell in line behind me. We quietly snuck through the hallway toward the lit room. As we got closer, the sound of a movie playing reached our ears. I looked back at the room we had just left. I suddenly felt like I was doing something wrong. I thought about going back, but remembered that I probably wouldn't be allowed to sleep. Shawn took the lead and I followed him into the lit room. The T.V. was playing some sports channel. Only one chair was occupied. Dean laid in the recliner snoring softly.

"Look, he is asleep. Let's go back before we get in trouble." I whispered, hoping the threat of getting in trouble would persuade Shawn to go back peacefully.

"What are you two boys doing up? You both were supposed to be in bed two hours ago." a woman's voice said sternly from behind us. We both jumped and spun around. Crystal was looking down at us severely, with her hands on her hips.

"I got scared. I asked Devin if he would come with me to find you." Shawn muttered.

"Is that why you went into the living room? I was definitely not in there. Now you both go back in that room and go to sleep. I don't want to catch either of you out of that room until the morning. Do you both understand me?"

"Yes ma'am." we murmured in unison. We sulked back into the room and went to bed.

 **Austin's POV**

The plan was simple. I would be the distraction. Emily would grab Devin and run. I walked into the family room and found the kid Devin had talked about.

"Hi, you must be Robert. I'm Austin, Devin's brother." I said. The boy looked up in confusion.

"H-hello. Um, how did you get in here?" he asked in return.

"Your parents let us stay over since you found our brother. So, Devin told me that you may be able to help us. We are looking for a short cut that will take us to Cerulean City. We need to get there fast because we are a few days behind schedule." Robert seemed really confused now. He studied my face and I gave him the most innocent look I could conjure up.

"I guess I could show you a few places that can get you there pretty fast. What's your name?" Robert asked.

"I'm Austin. So, where are these short cuts?" I asked. Robert got off the coach and waved for me to follow. He led me to what I was assuming was his room. I turned out to be right. The room itself seemed as though it was more of a museum than a bedroom. Shelves covered the walls and an old looking oak desk sat to one side of the room. The shelves were covered with knickknacks and curios. Coins in frames hung on the few bare patches of wall. If it were not for the seemingly out of place bed, I would have thought that I was in some kind of study.

Robert looked through one of the shelves, and pulled off a three foot long plastic tube.

"This is an old map, so please don't touch it. I don't want you to rip it on accident." Robert said as he opened the tube and gentle pulled out a plastic covered piece of parchment. He carefully unrolled the parchment on the desk and pulled out a magnifying glass from one of the desk's drawers. My plan was quickly unraveling as I realized that Robert had no intention of actually taking me to any hidden paths.

"How will an old map help? Wouldn't it be out of date? Maybe you should just show me some paths." I said, trying to steer Robert into going outside.

"None of these paths are nearby. You would have to walk several hours before you would reach any of them. But, several hours is better than a week of walking. Besides, this map is still fairly accurate. It is only about one hundred and fifty years old so not much has changed." Robert replied.

"Oh." I replied disappointedly.

"Ok, so if you continue down route 3 there is a cave just before you hit Mount Moon. According to this, it will exit just outside of Cerulean City's waterfront. If you want, I can get you a photo scan of the map. Regular camera flashes could damage the paper, so I really don't want you to take a picture of it." Robert said. I thought about the offer for exactly half a second before nodding to him. Robert flipped open a laptop and clicked on the file manger. After a few minutes, he handed me a scanned copy of the map and marked where the cave entrance was at. I quickly thanked him and left the room.

'Emily is going to kill me.' I thought as started to search for Emily.

 **Emily's POV**

"Devin. Devin!" I whispered frantically. As I peeked through the cracked door. It was only seven in the morning so I was surprised that I could get him to twitch. After a couple of minutes of quiet hounding, Devin groggily sat up.

"Emily?" He muttered as he rubbed his eyes awake. "What are… you doing?"

"I just came by to tell you that Austin left with Robert. He is going to get Robert into an accident so that his parents will be distracted enough to let their guard down. When we here the phrase 'Underground Railroad' we are going to make a run for the door and try to get as far away as possible from here." I quickly explained.

"I thought I told you and your brother, that you can't see Devin without one of us present." a stern sounding voice said. I jumped and spun around to find Dean standing behind me.

"Dean! It's not what you think. I was only checking up on him!"

"That does not matter. You are not allowed to see him without supervision. I suggest that you go run along." Dean said strictly.

"Yes sir! Devin, I'll tell Austin that you're alright." I said before running for the door.

I went back to the guest room and flopped on the bed. I sighed in relief as I thought about how that could have turned out had he heard our conversation. There was a slight knock at the door and I jumped to answer it. Austin walked in and locked the door.

"I figured that you would be gone longer." I said, walking towards him.

"I ran into a small snag. Robert, apparently, doesn't trust me. He didn't want to go with me and instead gave me an out of date map with a few supposed shortcuts." Austin said. Austin began to pace back and forth then added, "I think that Robert brought Devin here knowing that his parents would try to take him away from us."

"Why would you think that?" I asked curiously.

"I don't know, maybe it is just a wild guess, but I did some searching and found a whole slew of things that seemed odd with these people. For one, I looked up the organization these two work for; it doesn't exist as far as I can tell." Sam explained.

"But they showed us those badges and they had all of that information on us. How would they know any of that if they weren't with some kind of organization?" I asked.

Sam shrugged then pulled out his phone. He typed a few things then looked back to me. "This world is a parallel to our world. They have crime. They have war. There is sickness, poverty and disease. The manga, show, and games are only a taste of this world. Is it hard to believe that somebody can fake a badge, or change their personal records?"

"No, I guess not." I admitted. "But still. You must have made a mistake."

Sam walked over to the bed and sat down. He held his hands palms up and stared at them. He seemed to study every crease, every vein, every cell. "You know, maybe I didn't search hard enough. Maybe, just maybe I didn't find anything because I didn't want to find anything. Maybe Devin was always right; I'm just a paranoid loser."

"We won't know that until we get out of here with Devin. So suck it up because I don't want to hear your pity story! You don't have a reason to feel sorry for yourself! You lost only a few years! You get to be older than your brother! I lost eight years! I am now seven years younger than my younger sister. I didn't get any perks and you don't see me having a freaking pity party! Do you know why? Because the last time I cried, I realized that I wasn't getting anywhere. I decided that feeling sorry for myself would make us fail! Now snap out of it and be a man!" I yelled, venting my frustration.

Austin looked at me with shock and confusion. "Have I really been that much of a downer?"

"Yes you have." I replied sharply.

Austin stood and laughed a little. "I guess I was. I'll try to stop."

"You better or I'll have Brand burn you with fire!" I threatened.

"I bet you can't even get him to listen to you." Austin smirked, all thoughts of self-pity leaving him.

"Would like to find out?" I asked teasingly as I reached for the Pokéball in my pocket.

"No, no, that's alright." Austin replied as he raised his hands defensively. I relaxed and withdrew my hand from my pocket. Austin looked at my retreating hand then said, "You, know, you should probably let Brand out more often. Pokémon like him are often very timid and don't like being in their Pokéballs."

"Really?" I asked. Austin nodded and I grabbed the Pokéball and twisted the knob. The ball opened with a flash and Brand stood on the floor. He glanced about frantically, then curled up into a tight ball. "Austin? Why did he just do that? He kind of just curled up like an armadillo or a hedgehog."

"Really? I didn't know he could do that." Austin replied sincerely.

"Really?"

"Of course I knew that! He is the equivalent of a hedgehog! Of course he can roll into a ball." Austin said in total disbelief.

"Ok, I sounded like an idiot. That doesn't mean you can be a jerk." I huffed.

"I'm sorry. The reason he is like that is because he is scared. He appeared facing away from you, so he didn't know what to do. All you need to do is to carefully approach him and whisper quietly. If you are too fast or you are to loud he could..." I zoned him out and went about doing what Austin suggested. I whispered quietly and gently walked over to him. As soon as he was in reach, I bent down to pick him. I must have grabbed him too fast or too hard because a large amount of flames shot out of his back. I shielded my face with my arm; dropping the little hedgehog-like creature. Pain shot through my arm and I screamed. It hurt so bad that I thought that it would fall off. Austin rushed over to me. He tried to look at the wound, but I wouldn't let him. I sobbed as my burnt arm throbbed with heat and burned pain receptors.

"What did I do? What did I do?" I asked between sobs.

"You didn't let me finish what I had to say. I was going to say that you shouldn't pick him up from behind for that very reason. When threatened Cyndaquil will shoot fire from their backs as a defense mechanism." Sam gently grabbed my arm and I reluctantly relaxed and let him look at the burn. "It looks pretty bad. Second degree. I think I have some anti-burn ointment in my first aid kit."

Austin pulled out his first aid kit from his bag and began sifting through its contents. I sobbed quietly. My arm trembled as I waited, causing the burn to feel even worse. Austin found the ointment and began applying it to the wound. I bit my tongue whilst trying not to scream. Austin pulled out a bandage, and began to wrap it. I cried bitterly. I felt something warm poke my leg and I looked down to see what it was. Through my teary vision, I saw Brand looking at me with remorse. Despite my pain, I managed to smile at him.

"It's… alright. I know that you… didn't mean to hurt me." I told the little Cyndaquil. He let out a sorrowful whimper. I would have said something else, but I was interrupted by a knock on the door.

"Austin? Emily? Is everything alright? I thought I heard someone crying." Crystal opened the door and poked her head inside.

"Everything is fine. Emily was playing too rough with her Cyndaquil. He burned her pretty good." Austin explained.

"Is she alright? Do I need to clean the burn up?" Crystal asked apprehensively.

"No she's alright. I had a first aid kit. I cleaned it up and applied some burn ointment on the burn." Austin replied.

"Hold on for a minute. I have something that will help the pain go away."

Crystal walked away hurriedly. She was back in a couple of minutes. She sat on the bed and beckoned me to come closer. I hesitated and looked at Austin. He nodded and I conceded. Crystal unwrapped the bandages and squirted some kind of gel into her hand from a plastic tube. She gently rubbed it onto the wound. No matter how gentle she could be, the gel still caused my burn to erupt with pain. She continued to rub the ointment in until she was convinced that she had reached every inch of the wound. She squirted out some more of the gel then rubbed it on the bandage. Once she was done, she wrapped up the burn again.

"That gel is not a miracle drug. It will be awhile before it will start working, but it will cause the pain to go away. Just give it about half an hour or so." Crystal said as she headed for the door. "Oh, before I forget, there is a man here to see you. Apparently, your uncle has been hounding our boss ever since you two took Devin three weeks ago." Crystal added suspiciously. Austin and I looked at each other in confusion.

"Our uncle?" I asked in bewilderment.

"Yes, so grab your things and follow me to the living room." Crystal replied as walked out of the room. "One more," she called from the hallway, "please put your Pokémon back into its Pokéball. I don't want the house to burn down."

"Yes ma'am." I replied shakily.

Austin and I walked into the living room and were greeted by Dean, Crystal, and Devin. There was a fourth person in the room. I assumed he was the one claiming to be our uncle. He was tall with dark brown hair. He did looked a little like Devin's mom. She was the only one with brown hair in their family. Despite the man's small resemblance to Devin's mom. There was no way he could be related.

"There you two are! Your Aunt and I were so worried! We thought we had lost you forever!" the man said as he stood and embraced us. I was completely confused. I looked over to Austin who looked just as perplexed. The man let go and then motioned for us to sit next to Devin.

"Mr. Lee, we still have some unanswered questions. Could you explain to us how it is that Austin here was able to get the paperwork to care for his own brother?" Dean asked suspiciously.

"You see, that was quite easy for him to do since he is named after me. All he had to do was find out where I kept all of my important papers. Apparently, he found them and took off. He never really liked me all that much. He blames me for his mother and father's car accident." the strange man said smoothly.

'Is that a hint of sadness? Who is this guy?' I asked myself.

"Alright, well we don't really have anyway of telling if you are who you say you are until we get confirmation from our superiors. What hotel can we reach you at?" Crystal said quickly.

"I am actually staying with a friend in town. Here is the number for my cell." With that the man stood up and headed for the door. Before he opened the door, the man turned around. "I don't know why your Aunt told me to tell you this, but she wants you to study up on the Underground Railroad tonight." Devin, Sam, and I paled. We didn't tell anyone what we had said, yet he knew our code phrase.

"Why didn't he take us with him?" Devin asked innocently.

"I'm sorry honey, but he forgot to get some things that he needed. I'm sure he will be taking you home soon. You go on and play for a while. I have to go make dinner. Dean, I need some things from the store. I left the list on the desk in the office." Crystal ordered. Devin got up and ran off. We also got up to leave, but Crystal held us back. "I don't mind if you are with your brother, just remember that we do have cameras on the property." She warned.

 **Austin's POV**

I told Emily and Devin to wait in the guest room. There were a few things I wanted to look into and I didn't want them involved. I quietly walked down the hallway, and into what had to be Dean and Crystal's study. Dean had already left and Crystal was in the kitchen, making this the perfect time to look for some information. I entered the study and quickly made my way to the desk. Sitting on top of the desk was a laptop. I didn't want to mess with it for several reason, but realized that I would have to since the office was barren of any sort of filing cabinet. I sat down in the office chair and flipped open the screen. To my surprise, the computer was already booted and ready for me to search. The logo on the computer to disprove my theory about the legitimacy of their agency. I pulled out my cell phone, took out the USB cord, and plugged it into the computer. The computer was already in some kind of database, so I typed in recent files. Sure enough, our records were the most recent, as well as a fourth record. I clicked on it and it brought up everything I could want to know about the man. I copied the file and was about to unplug the cord when another option caught my eye. The file was named Special Case Directives. I quickly copied the file to my phone and unplugged the cord. Just as I was about to leave, someone opened the door. I didn't have time to shut the computer so all I could do was duck for cover and pray that no one would see me. I hide under the desk and waited nervously for whoever it was to leave.

"Darn it he left already, I guess I'll just have to call him." Crystal muttered. "I see he left the computer on again. When is he going to learn that he can't just forget about things like that?" Crystal muttered as she shut off the computer and left the room. I breathed a sigh of relief and bolted out of the room.

 **Devin's POV**

For the first time since I have been here, I could honestly say that I was happy. It felt good to be able to see Emily again without somebody telling me when I could or couldn't see her. The same went for Austin. Although you wouldn't hear me tell him that.

Emily and I sat in the guest room talking. I told her everything that had happened to me and she actually listened. It wasn't until Austin got back that things turned serious.

"Guys, look at this. I got it off of the computer in their office." Austin said as he passed his phone to Emily. She skimmed it quickly then handed it off to me. I read it and nearly passed out. The way I read it, it was our ticket out of here. The guy who claimed to be our uncle was supposed to be directly related to us. He held the papers for both me and Emily.

"This is good news, right?" I asked out of anticipation. Both Emily and Austin remained silent. "What? What's wrong?" I asked.

"This has got to be a trick. There is no one in this world that can be related to us. There is something going on and this has to be apart of some kind of conspiracy." Austin replied.

"How do you know that he isn't just some sort of alternative relative? You said this place was supposed to be an alternate universe. That means there are supposed to be alternate versions of us and our families." I replied, secretly proud that I remembered hearing Austin say that.

"Alternate doesn't mean completely different, that guy looked nothing like any of our uncles."

"Maybe it was our uncle that died before we were born. Mom never did like talking about him." I pointed out.

"Maybe, but I highly doubt that." Austin said skeptically.

"I think we need to leave. Tonight." Emily spoke up.

"Wait guys, think about this. That dude knew our code word. I didn't say anything. Did either of you say anything?" I reasoned. Both Emily and Austin shook their heads.

"Maybe we should wait until tomorrow night?" Emily asked.

"No, we will go tonight. We out number him and we have our own Pokémon." Austin said with certainty.

"Tsk, what are three kids, a mother hen, and a cowardly fire rat going to do? The only one that knows how to fight is your wolf man." I scoffed.

Austin, who had taken the time during my little sarcastic speech as a small study lesson, looked up; his face was extremely pale.

"Guys, this file just made our decision for us. If we don't leave soon, Devin is going to be sold to the highest bidder." Austin said out of horror. I could feel the color drain from my face. If I could look in a mirror at that moment, I probably would look like a ghost.

"What?" Emily said incredulously.

"Yeah, Devin meets the requirements of a very rich couple who can't have kids." Austin replied.

"Are you sure that you aren't reading that wrong?" I asked numbly. Austin gestured to the phone, then tossed it to me.

"Couple wants a young boy no older than six. Hair color: red. Eyes: N/A. Couple is willing to pay up to five hundred thousand dollars. If you happen upon a boy with these requirements, contact Phil. He will set up the deal." I read out loud. "Ah man! Robert set me up! I bet that entire gang of his is part of this!" I groaned as I tossed the phone back to Austin.

"Get everything packed. We are leaving as soon as it is dark." Austin said grimly. Austin hesitated for a moment, then added. "Try not to talk to each other tonight. Try to act like you normally would around them."

"Will do." Emily and I said in unison.

 **Austin's POV**

Dinner was a very stressful affair. Devin avoided eye contact with almost everyone. Emily fidgeted with her food throughout the meal and I tried to pointlessly focus on eating. Dean and Crystal kept stealing quizzical glances at the three of us. When asked about what was wrong, we each gave our own lame excuses.

After twenty painfully long minutes of dinner. We were excused and headed off to do our normal evening routine. As soon as that was done, we headed to our beds. I set an alarm for two in the morning, I plugged in a pair of ear buds and went to sleep.

The alarm went off with calculated accuracy. Normally, I would have woken up like a zombie, but too much was at stake for me to have the pleasure of waking slowly. I quickly got dressed and found Emily already outside my door with her back pack. Unfortunately for me, Devin was nowhere to be seen. I sighed silently then signed for Emily to wait by the front door. I snuck quietly through the dark hallways, avoiding anything that could so much as make a slight ruffle.

The door to where Devin was sleeping was, thankfully, wide open. I was just about ready to sneak in, but halted when I saw the state of the floor. It was completely destroyed! Toys were everywhere! Clothes and other odds and ends were tossed haphazardly on the furniture. The entire room looked as though someone hadn't cleaned in years. I let out a silent groan, then went to work trying to get my brother without alarming the countryside.

After what seemed like a millennium, I finally reached the side of the bed. Devin was sound asleep, which didn't surprise me. I gently shook him, but didn't receive a response. I tried a little bit harder, but still received no response. I sighed and thanked Emily for taking my bag with her. I found Devin's bag on the floor next to the bed. I slipped the back pack over my shoulders and gently picked up my sleeping brother. I carried the tyke across the room when a familiar pain shot through my foot. I bit back a yelp of pain and looked down. I had stepped on a Lego. I must not have been quiet enough because the next thing I felt was a small hand tapping me on the back. I cursed at myself for not being quiet enough and slowly turned around. It was Dean and Crystal's little boy.

"Where are you taking… Devin?" the little boy yawned.

"I am just taking him home." I whispered. "If you were far from home, wouldn't you want to go home?"

"Yeah, can I help?" the boy asked innocently.

"Of course you can. All you need to do is lay down in bed and try to get more sleep, alright?" I instructed, praying that the kid would obey. The boy listened and went back to his spot on the floor. I sighed and carried Devin out of the room to the foyer.

I didn't even put Devin down as I slipped my feet into my shoes. Emily picked up Devin's shoes and opened the front door. A light flicked on behind us. The sound of heavy footsteps caused me and Emily to whirl around. Dean stood in the hallway.

"What are you three doing?" he asked angrily as he started toward us.

"Emily, run!" I yelled. We bolted through the front door and out into the fresh night time air. We had no chance to enjoy the coolness the night had to offer as we ran for our lives. Despite Devin's added weight, I managed to pull in front of Emily. I made it to the perimeter fence and looked back. Dean had caught Emily and dragged her to the ground. He had her pinned.

"What are you going to do kid? Leave your kid brother and help your sister, or leave your sister here?" Dean asked menacingly. I looked from Devin to Emily.

"Austin just go! Don't fall for it! Take Devin and run!" Emily begged.

"Get away from her!" I yelled as I placed Devin gently in the grass. I didn't even get a chance to charge the larger man, for another man had already done the job. He flew at Dean and rolled him off of Emily, who quickly scampered to where I stood. The two men rolled around on the beating each other mercilessly. Finally, the stranger landed one final blow, sending Dean into unconsciousness.

"Come on! We have to go now!" the man yelled. The sound of police sirens met our ears and snapped me out of my initial surprise. I picked Devin back up, and we ran after the man who had saved us. He ducked through a hole in the fence. By now, the police sirens had been not more than half a mile away. If we wanted to get away, we were going to need a miracle.

 **Mystery man's POV**

"You are the guy from this afternoon! Who are you? Why are you helping us?" the oldest boy asked.

"I am a friend, Austin. One that is going to create havoc for a certain someone that couldn't create a better plan. You would probably remember me as Jeffric." I replied as we ran. I heard the sound of shouting and barking from several hundred feet behind us. I knew that if I didn't something fast we would all be caught.

"Jeffric? That shiny Mew?" Austin asked. "What are you doing here?"

 **Flashback**

 **Jeffric's POV**

"Alright, so I have an idea of what I am supposed to do, so when are we doing this?" I asked impatiently. Celebi looked at me for a second.

"I'd say that we should wait until twelve tomorrow. It will give them time to get everything gathered. _"_ she replied. I looked at myself in a mirror that was in the abandon apartment we were hiding out in.

"I still think that you and this plan is nuts."I stated.

"It's not like I haven't been called that before. Besides, you and the kids will be thanking me when this _works."_ Celebi shrugged.

"If it works." I reminded.

We waited for something to happen for several hours, but nothing happened. I decided to look in the mirror again and decided that it felt weird seeing myself looking like a human again.

"I feel so odd." I muttered as I looked myself over. I was now six foot five and weighed maybe 185 pounds. My skin was fair and my hair was a dark brown color. My eyes stood out as they had kept their bright blue color. The clothing I wore were strange to me. Since I hadn't been human for nearly a millennium, just wearing clothing felt awkward. I pictured myself back when I was ruler of Green Landing. The royal satin robes of lavender, crimson, and indigo were replaced with a pair of blue pants and red shirt. I was crown-less and my full beard was nothing more than stubble. I was who I was when I was human, but I felt like I was somebody else.

"Do you really think this will work?" I asked Celebi.

"As long as you don't screw anything up, you will be fine. Besides, Dialga didn't bar me from all time lines. Just the one that I had fifty visits to. I was able to put all of the records in that you needed. _"_

"I hope you did, because the last time you dabbled with anything concerning records you ended up getting those kids caught." I retorted.

"I have been to so many time periods that I forgot which ones that need info and which ones that don't. _"_ Celebi huffed. I laughed lightly and turned toward the little, green legendary.

"I still think this is insane." I reiterated.

"Oh shut up. It's close to show time. _"_ I nodded then walked awkwardly to the door.

 **End of Flashback**

"Kid, I would love to answer your questions, but right now we kind of need to find a place to hide." I answered back. I looked desperately for a place to hide, a cave, a river, anything, but this forest was as barren as a desert in terms of hiding spots. "Kid, do you trust me?" I asked.

"I don't know! I guess so! I definitely don't like the alternative!" Austin shouted back.

"Good, because you probably aren't going to like what I'm about to do either!" I replied. A dark red glow began to irradiate from my hands to form a sphere. The sphere grew in size. First it doubled then it tripled in size. It grew until it encompassed the four of us. "Don't worry! What is about to happen is temporary! It shouldn't last more than a few days!"

"What did you just do!" Austin shouted back in panic.

"I made it so we wouldn't be caught!" I replied.

* * *

I hope y'all enjoyed the chapter. I really liked writing this one since it leads up to something I have been wanting to write for a long time. If y'all have anything to say, you all know what to do. If y'all like the story be sure to smash that favorite/follow button. This is Shieldliger001 signing off.


	8. Chapter 8

Hey guys, I feel like I am on fire! I have been working really hard on this chapter and I think you all will enjoy it. I am thinking about changing up the update schedule again. I was thinking about publishing a chapter of this then a single chapter of OMAA. Right now, I publish two chapters of OMAA before publishing a single chapter of this. I don't know, I'll figure it out by next chapter. I don't know how many of you know this, but I took Monpoke's advice and created a poll. To get to it all you need to do is click on my user-name and you should see it at the top of the page. I need at least fifteen votes to decide whether or not to write a story on Katlyn's time with Team Rocket. I will wait a month or so before taking it down. At the moment there are only two votes. I'll admit, one is mine. So thanks to whoever else voted. Anyways be sure to voice your opinions! Let me know what you want! On to the reviews!

Monpoke: I really liked that idea and I plan on using it in the future.

Philip Harbindinger: Don't worry, that is not the end of Dean and Crystal. They will come again and it is like they say. It isn't over until the fat lady sings. Not going to lie though. That phrase has a new humor to it after watching Dragon Ball Z. Vegeta's response was awesome. "Well I think she started humming a few lines." I got off topic. The red sphere will be explained in this chapter. It is actually something I used in OMAA. As for Cyndaquil, I said it was a hedgehog because, to me, it looks like one. Especially if it is shooting flames out of its back. Not going to lie, that is the only reason I called it a hedgehog.

* * *

 **Do not be desirous of having things done quickly. Do not look at small advantages. Desire to have things done quickly prevents their being done thoroughly. Looking at small advantages prevents great affairs from being accomplished.**

 **Wilson Mizner**

* * *

 **** **Chapter 8**

 **Devin's POV**

I never was good about getting up in the morning. Everyday I felt as if somebody hit me with a semi. Today, however, I jumped awake as soon as light had touched me. I remembered the plan and I was sure I had slept right through it. I looked around frantically and found that I was no longer in the bedroom. That was a relief and, at the same time, a terror. I had woken up in the woods. The sunlight trickled down through the trees and left patches of warm light. As I looked around, I noticed that the trees were unrealistically large. The bushes now looked like small trees, and relatively small leaves looked as though they could cover my entire face!

"What in the world is going on! _"_ I yelled frantically. _"_ You guys didn't turn me into a baby did y'all? _"_

"If you were a baby, you wouldn't be yelling, now would you? _"_ a high-pitched squeaky voice asked. It wasn't one I recognized.

"W-who are y-you? S-show y-yourself! _"_ I demanded fearfully. A yellow blur jumped through the bushes and into plan view. It was large; at least twice my size and it looked familiar. It had long, blacked tipped, yellow ears. Its face had two red patches on each cheek. Its body was slightly on the chubby side and it had a large, thunderbolt shaped, tail. The name was on the tip of my tongue, but I couldn't remember it. All I knew was that it was supposed to be an electric rat.

"So, what do you think? _"_ the rat asked me.

I felt like I should have run away, but I was paralyzed by the sight of the giant rat. _"_ Somebody help me! There is a giant rat trying to eat me! Somebody help! _"_ I yelled.

"No! Don't shout! I'm not going to eat you! It's me! Austin! Devin please quiet down! _"_ the rat begged.

"A-Austin? W-what happened to you? You're a giant rat? _"_ I asked, slightly less scared.

"I am not a rat. I am a mouse; there is a difference. In fact, I am the most popular Pokémon in the entire world! _"_ Austin replied indignantly. He studied me for several seconds. Then asked, _"_ you do know what Pokémon I am, right? _"_

"No! I don't care what you are! I can't have a giant rat as a brother! How are we going to go through town with you looking like that? _"_ I asked out of disbelief.

"How many times do I have to tell you that I am not a rat? I figured that… wait, have you not seen yourself yet? _"_ I shook my head and gave him a questioning look. _"_ This is great! Emily, come here! Devin's awake, and believe me, you don't want to miss this! _"_

"What? What's wrong? _"_ I looked down at myself and nearly had a heart attack. My arms were covered with light yellow fur. My hands weren't hands anymore and, instead, were paws. I checked my body and panicked I was covered in light yellow, and black fur. My feet were large yellow paws and I even had a freaking tail! I looked for anything that could give me a full reflection of myself. There was a leaf a few feet away that had some water in it. I tried running for it but instantly tripped over my feet. I tried again only to have the same result. I began to crawl and made it to the leaf I looked inside only to meet an unbelievable mouse-like face. The reflection had large black ears and a tiny pink nose. I raised my arm as did the reflection. I reached up and grabbed my left ear and pulled it towards my face. It was as large as my entire head! _"_ What happened to me! _"_ I yelled.

"We were turned into Pokémon in order to hide from the cops last night. Me and Emily here, are Pikachu. You are a Pichu. So, in a sense, you are the baby of the species. _"_ Austin said as Emily climbed out of the same bush. She saw my horrified look and snickered.

"H-how did this happen? _"_ I asked, on the verge of crying.

"I did it while you were asleep. We were running and there would have been no way to escape otherwise. I used a sphere to transform everyone. While that happened, I teleported everyone to a clearing near here. _"_ A new and deeper voice said from behind. I jumped and looked behind me. A mouse larger than both Emily and Austin stared down at me.

"Who are you, and what are you? _"_ I asked impatiently.

"I am Jeffric. I am the one who got you away from those people. I am in the form of a Raichu. _"_ the newcomer replied.

"So, when can we change back? _"_ I asked nervously.

"That's the catch. It turns out that we haven't lost the cops, in fact several of them saw Jeffric's little magic trick and are still on to us. _"_ Austin said as he rubbed the back of his head.

"So let me get this straight, a couple of cops sees a bunch of kids turn into mice and they don't think they are going insane? _"_ I asked skeptically.

"Well, they don't think we turned into Pokémon. They saw us disappear and they think that we had a psychic type teleport us away from the "crime scene". _"_ Emily explained.

"Which is true. _"_ Jeffric inserted.

"Yeah, and now they have our picture and a sketch of Jeffric's face all over the news and on the Net. _"_ Austin added.

"How long do we have to stay like this? _"_ I began to whine.

"About a month or two, just to be safe. They will eventually lose interest in us. _"_ Jeffric replied.

"What about our mission! That would put us way behind! Isn't there something we can do? _"_ I yelped.

"It can't be helped, I'm afraid. This time period is very hard to hide in because of all of the security. I tried talking to Celebi, but she said it was too risky to pull y'all out of the time line. _"_ Jeffric answered.

"We can still travel, but it will take a long time. _"_ Emily said. I felt like I was about to die, there was no way on this green Earth that I was going to stay like this for an entire month. I don't care if we get caught! I don't want to be a rat!

At that moment, I felt a growing warmth near my cheeks. The warmth grew until it started to become unbearable. I began to cry out as the warmth became a searing pain. It felt like an eternity had past as I struggled to keep my cries quiet. There was a definite crackle and a loud pop. The pop threw me backwards. I didn't bother getting up. It hurt way too much. I felt like I had just used a welder on myself. Austin and Emily bounded towards me.

 **Austin's POV**

"Devin! _"_ Emily and I yelled in unison. The small discharge Devin released caused him to fall flat on his back. Emily and I instantly ran to his side. The Pichu was completely dazed and didn't respond to anything we did.

"You two don't need to worry. He will be fine in a couple of minutes. You have to keep in mind that Pichu often shock themselves on accident. _"_ Jeffric lectured.

"I guess it's hard to remember that when your family shouldn't even be Pokémon. _"_ I muttered as I looked over Devin.

"Great… not only… am I an electric rat, I am also one that can't keep myself from getting shocked. _"_ Devin murmured, snapping out of his daze.

"Are you ok? _"_ Emily asked.

"Y-yeah. I just feel like I was hooked up to the power grid for a minute. _"_ Devin replied shakily.

"Everyone, we need to watch Devin carefully. Since he can't control his electricity, he could very well kill himself if he uses to much electricity. _"_ Jeffric informed us. Devin looked up at him, trying to judge whether he was kidding or not. Apparently, he wasn't.

"Great, I can kill myself on accident. Thanks guys, I can't tell you how great that makes me feel. _"_ Devin pouted. I laughed at my brother's sarcasm. When he heard me laugh, he began pouting even more.

"Um, guys? Where is Elweard, Brand, and Teresa? _"_ Emily asked, effectively ending my laughter.

"Crap! I can't believe that we forgot about them! _"_ I dashed back through the bush and into the area we hid our stuff. I had hidden our belongings in a hollowed out tree stump in a separate clearing. I was about to burst out, but caught myself when I heard voices ahead. Human voices.

"Call HQ and tell them that we found high traces of psychic energy in the area. This is where they teleported to." a man in a blue uniform said as he put away a Geiger meter looking device.

"Should we call up the Feds? I mean, these kids _were_ in the custody of the CWSA." the other officer asked.

"Are you kidding me? They already know. Those two agents that had the kids are going to be all over this place as soon as they can. All we can do, is try to get as much evidence as we can before they tear through here and bungle it all up."

"Alright, I'll call it in back at the squad car. You go ahead and get the Growlithe out and searching."

"Yeah, yeah. Whatever you say. Come on out Growlithe!" the man said enthusiastically as he tossed a Pokéball into the air.

"Crap! _"_ I muttered as I dived back into the bush.

"Man, you act just like my five year old daughter every time you release that Pokémon."

"Hey, once a trainer, always a trainer." the officer with the Growlithe laughed. The other officer rolled his eyes and headed back to the squad car. "Alright Growlithe, we are looking for anything out of the ordinary. Let me know if you find anything relating to three kids."

"Sir, yes sir! _"_ the Growlithe barked as his head went straight to the ground.

'Crap, crap, crap!' I thought as the Growlithe began his work. I tried to think up of a way to get to the log, but nothing I thought of seemed to be a very good idea. Heck, I didn't even know how to use Pokémon moves. All I could do was watch in horror as the canine slowly made his way towards the log where we stored our stuff. Without thinking, I jumped out of the bush and landed in the clearing.

"A Pikachu, huh. Growlithe don't get distract. Keep searching." the police officer ordered with little interest.

'Jeez, wasn't expecting that.' I thought as I switched strategies.

"Hey, you're a Growlithe! I haven't seen your kind here in like forever! _"_ I said, trying to sound surprised.

"Get lost rat, I have work to do. _"_ the Growlithe replied gruffly.

"Why is it that everyone I have met calls me a rat! I'm a mouse, not a rat! There is a difference! _"_ I shouted out of annoyance.

"Don't care. Go away. _"_ the Growlithe replied as he continued to search. _"_ Ha, found something! _"_ He barked quickly following one of our human scent trails towards the log. He got so close that my heart felt like it was going to explode. As he began to enter, I closed my eyes as hard as I could. Before I knew what was happening, I felt a surge of energy build up in my cheeks. I opened my eyes and saw sparks flying away from me. The surge increased and shot away from me towards the Growlithe. It missed by several inches, but it was close enough that it gave him a scare.

"I-I am s-so sorry. I really didn't mean for that to happen! _"_ I was shaking the entire time I stammered out the apology.

"Did you just try to shock me? _"_ the Growlithe asked slowly and menacingly.

"I-It was an accident; I swear! _"_ I said frantically. The Growlithe was slowly making his way toward ne. His speed was deliberately slow.

"I told you to get lost, yet you stayed. Why is that, hmm? Do, you know who the kids we are looking for? _"_ he interrogated.

"I don't know what you are talking about! _"_ I replied nervously. Not seeing any other option, I made a mad dash for the underbrush. I looked back to see the Growlithe chasing after me. As I ran, I noticed Jeffric sneaking into the log. There was a small flash and Jeffric left the log. I breathed a sigh of relief and continued running.

"Growlithe! What did I tell you about getting sidetracked? The first five minutes was funny, but now it is getting out of hand! Let the Pikachu go, and get back to work!" the officer yelled out of frustration. The Growlithe slowed to a mild walk and growled at me.

"I better not see you again. _"_ the Growlithe warned. I gulped and nodded. He turned around and I made a dash for the brush.

 **Devin's POV**

"Did you enjoy your little game of cat and mouse? _"_ I asked with a smirk. Emily and I had watched the entire ordeal from the safety of the nearby bushes. Austin looked at me wearily.

Before he could answer, Emily jumped at him. _"_ You idiot! What do you think you were doing? You ran up to the cops, then you tried to shock something that could have turned you into barbeque! _"_ She began smacking him several times. I couldn't help but to laugh at my brother and girlfriend. It was like watching a comedy. As I laughed, I felt a trickle of warmth build up again. I began to panic which seemed to speed the impending shock.

"Guys... _"_ I whined as the electricity increased. They ran to me, quickly realizing what was happening.

"Jeffric! Devin is about to shock himself again! _"_ Austin yelled. Jeffric, who had just returned from his little stealth mission, walked leisurely towards us.

"Don't worry, this one won't be too bad, he already used up most of his electricity. He might not even feel this one. _"_ Jeffric replied. I calmed down long enough to assess myself. My cheeks definitely felt warm and I could see sparks flying away from me. However, the sparks were extremely weak. The warmth in my cheeks was unquestionably discomforting, but it wasn't painful. Austin and Emily still looked worried, but they began to back up. Just as they did, the warmth began to die away. I saw an arch of electricity flew a couple inches away from me and land harmlessly onto the soft soil.

"Um, guys? Does this happen a lot with Picchu? _"_ I asked nervously.

"First, it is Pichu; yes this happens a lot to Pichu. It happens because you can't control your electric sacks in your cheeks. _"_ Jeffric responded.

"Ok, so what can cause me to shock myself? _"_

"Pichu, shock themselves when they are surprised, laughing, angry, or scared. _"_ Austin answered.

"So, you are telling me that basically, can't get surprised, be happy, get mad, or joke; if I do any of those things, I get shocked? _"_ I asked incredulously. Austin and Jeffric nodded.

"Let's talk about something else. _"_ Emily interrupted, seeing that I was about explode. _"_ Did you manage to grab our stuff? _"_

"I reached the log and teleported everything to Celebi's place. I can teleport the Pokéballs back if you want. _"_ Jeffric offered.

As Jeffric, Austin, and Emily talked. I heard something in the distance. I wasn't positive, but it sounded like the cop from earlier and it sounded like they found something.

"You _did_ get everything, right? You didn't accidentally forget anything? _"_ I asked suspiciously.

"Of course I got everything. Why do you ask? _"_

"Oh, no reason. I just thought I heard something from that general direction. If you are quiet, you may be able to hear it. _"_ I replied flippantly. Everyone stopped talking and listened for several minutes. The air was nearly silent. Nearly silent. Over the silence was a slight interruption. Voices, both human and Pokémon. The human seemed excited, the Pokémon seemed surprised. We could barely make out what was being said, but we could all piece together the meaning.

"Carl, we… watch… log. It… name… the kids…close by. What… you… do?" the voice said over the distance. It was hard to make out but the excitement should have been a sufficient warning. It was obvious that Jeffric had accidentally forgotten something.

"We need to move! _"_ I said urgently.

"We'll be fine. They won't give a crap about us because we are Pokémon at the moment. _"_ Austin replied hastily. That was when the Pokémon, which was the dog thing Austin had been running from, howled.

"This doesn't… sense! He can't… Pikachu. How… possible? I… warn… master! _"_ the Pokémon exclaimed.

I looked back at the group; their expressions were all the same. It dawned on them that their carelessness had just ruined our cover.

 **Austin's POV**

We took off as soon as possible. We had to carry Devin because he wasn't very good at walking, much less running.

We put as much distance between us and the cops. I never would have guessed that we would be running from them in our current condition, but hey, Pokémon weren't supposed to exist either. Our group began to tire as the evening began to set in. Jeffric reverted back to his shiny Mew form began a quick search of the area.

"We can stop here for the night. I don't sense anything within a ten mile radius of here. _"_ Jeffric declared. Emily collapsed and I placed Devin on the ground before collapsing beside him.

"Why couldn't we have just teleported like last time? _"_ Emily murmured as she lay on the ground.

"Because, they can track that, remember? _"_ I muttered tiredly. _"_ Devin, are you ok? Devin? _"_ I looked over at my "little" brother and smiled slightly. He was sound asleep, his little tail twitching as he snored lightly.

"Let's get a fire going and get some dinner. _"_ Jeffric said as he began gathering some sticks.

"What can we eat exactly? I am not eating insects or anything like that. _"_ Emily said firmly.

"Ha ha, you don't have to eat insects. Pikachu tend to eat berries and other plants, although they will sometimes eat some meat depending on if it is easy to get a hold of. _"_ Jeffric laughed.

 **Emily's POV**

Jeffric pretty much set up camp. He gathered beds of grass, started a fire, and gathered up berries and roots we could eat. I felt bad for not helping him, but I didn't know the first thing about berries, or how to start a fire without matches. Jeffric didn't seem to mind though.

We went about the evening like any other evening. Well, as close as any other evening as we could. We woke Devin up for dinner, which he ate begrudgingly. He complained that he wasn't just some animal, but Austin laughed and said that he sure looked like one. They argued for a couple of minutes before Jeffric broke it up. We sat in silence for a little while. It wasn't an uncomfortable silence. It was more like the kind that one would have if they just wanted to listen to the silence. Devin, however, destroyed that.

"So, how did you guys react when you guys saw you weren't human? _"_ he asked curiously.

"Shocked, more than anything. I woke up to find that my butt was very sore and when I stood up, my tail sagged a bit. That is what tipped me off. There shouldn't have been any sagging at all! _"_ Austin laughed as he scratched the back of his head.

"I woke up to Austin screaming. That was the first thing I noticed. His voice sounded like a little girl. At the time, I was confused, but now that I think about it, it was actually pretty funny. You should have heard him. For ten whole minutes, he was shouting, _"_ I have a freaking tail! Somebody cut it off! Help me! _"_ I laughed.

"Devin, don't you dare say a word. Your reaction was a lot worst than mine. _"_ Austin warned coldly.

"At least I didn't tell the world to cut off an appendage just because I panicked. _"_ Devin snickered.

"Anyway, I woke up on my side with my arm er, fore-paw? Either way, I woke up with it supporting my head. It was a very rude awaking. When I looked at my arm, I was speechless, I didn't know how to react. _"_ I admitted.

"So, what did you do? _"_ Devin asked enthusiastically.

"Well, my reaction was very shocking, literally. I shot electricity everywhere. I even hit Austin who was still rambling on about having to go into hiding, and being a social outcast. He didn't seem to be hurt from the hit but it surprised him. _"_

"Hate to tell you this Austin, but you already are and outcast. You were one ever since middle school. _"_ Devin gibed.

"Oh yeah, well you seem to forget that I was the one who introduced you to Emily! _"_ Austin shot back.

"You didn't introduce us, you ran your bike into her dad's week old truck! I had to take you over there so you could apologize and pay for the damage! _"_ Devin replied hotly.

"Will you guys quit it! Gosh, all you two do is argue! _"_ I yelled. Of course, they didn't pay any attention to me.

"That wasn't my fault and you know it! You sabotaged my bike! _"_ Austin yelled back.

"I told you that it was falling apart! If you had waited another couple of hours, I would have finished fixing it! You are such a freaking loser! _"_ Devin responded fervently.

"Well, shrimp, if you hadn't of panicked, we wouldn't be in this situation! _"_

"Here we go again, you are going to forever hold that over my head, aren't you? _"_

"Are they always like this? _"_ Jeffric whispered.

"Just about, they normally can't go a single day without insulting each other. This is actually a pretty tame argument. The last one ended up with Devin being kidnapped by those thugs. _"_ I explained. Jeffric nodded in understanding and decided to break up the fight.

"Come on you two, we have other things to do besides fighting. _"_ he said as he stood between the two.

"Big mistake. _"_ I muttered as I watched the drama that was about to unfold.

"You! You're the one who turned me into a kid! You don't get to have a say in this, so get lost! _"_ Devin erupted.

"Stay out of this! You may have saved us, but turning us into Pokémon wasn't exactly the brightest idea you have ever had! _"_ Austin added.

"While we are on that, why did you make me some tiny version of them! At least they don't have to worry about short circuiting! _"_ Devin shouted.

"I couldn't control that! I swear! It's all based on age! _"_ Jeffric replied defensively, raising his paws to show that he had no control.

"Jeffric, get back here before they tear you apart! _"_ I demanded. Jeffric instantly floated back to my side and watched as the two began to insult each other again. _"_ You might want to bring Teresa back now. She can handle them. _"_

"Good idea. _"_ Jeffric snapped his fingers and an old fashioned Pokéball appeared next to us. I tried twisting the knob but found that my tiny paws weren't very good at twisting large objects.

"I can't open it. _"_ I said as I pushed it towards Jeffric.

"My paws aren't much different than yours. What makes you think that I can open it? _"_ Jeffric asked.

"Because, you are psychic or whatever. Just use your brain. Y'know, mind over matter? _"_ Jeffric shot me the "I can't believe you just said that" look before looking at the Pokéball. It began to glow a slight red and the knob began to twist. Seconds later, the capsule popped open. Teresa appeared in a blinding flash. Austin and Devin stopped arguing and stared up at the dinosaur with fear.

"What is going on, here? Who are all of you? _"_ Teresa asked as she looked around. Jeffric floated into her line of sight. _"_ Master Jeffric, how may I be of service? _"_

"First, I better explain what is going on. My mate hasn't taught me the whole memory transfer thing so I'll have to give you the run down. _"_ Jeffric started. Before he continued Austin interrupted him.

"Let me get this straight, you can turn people into Pokémon, yet you can't just show somebody your memories? That is pretty lame. _"_ he said.

"Look, it was in case of an emergency! I never needed to show someone memories before! _"_ Jeffric replied heatedly. He turned back to Teresa and calmed down. Austin didn't let it go.

"And you had to turn people into Pokémon before last night? Is that some kind of thing that you legendaries enjoy doing? _"_ Austin shot back.

"I am going to choose to ignore that. Anyways, the gist of it is that these three are Emily, Devin, and Austin. They will be like this for a month and I can't handle the arguing and it has only been a day. _"_

"I assume that Devin is the Pichu? _"_ Jeffric nodded. Teresa sighed then looked a Devin with an evil gleam in her eye. _"_ Devin Lee! Get over here now! We have a few things we need to address. _"_ Devin gulped and sat where he was. _"_ I mean it! Get over here. _"_

"I d-don't really k-know how to walk y-yet. _"_ Devin stuttered out of embarrassment.

"Fine, I will come to you then. _"_ Teresa took one gigantic step. The step took her straight to Devin where she picked him up gently.

"Hey what are you doing? You are going to drop me! _"_ Devin screamed fearfully.

"Don't worry, I am not going to drop you. Your size reminds me of when Hope was first born. Though, she is quite a bit bigger than you are now. _"_ Teresa crooned as she looked down at Devin.

"I bet I remind you all about her. Aside from having scales shape teeth, sharp claws, being a girl, and being cold blooded, I bet I am a spitting images of her. _"_ Devin spat.

"Devin, you are a girl remember? _"_ Austin teased.

"Shut up you pointy eared, freak! _"_ Devin shouted.

"Devin, stop yelling at your brother. It is his fault he is acting immature. Austin, you need to stop teasing Devin if you ever expect him to listen to you. Do you hear me? _"_

"Yeah, I know. _"_ Austin muttered. _"_ Sorry. _"_

"Whatever. Just leave me alone. _"_ Devin replied angrily.

"Devin… _"_ Teresa warned.

"Fine, I'm… basically sorry. _"_ Devin conceded.

"See? I told you that would work. _"_ I whispered to Jeffric.

"I will be thanking Celebi for bring Teresa in on this. _"_ he replied.

 **Third Person POV**

"Hey Jim, did the guys out in the boonies get back yet?" a man in a lab coat asked as he walked through the autopsy room door.

"Yep, and they brought you a few samples of hair that they need you to check. Apparently they want to be double sure that they are on the right track. After all, it isn't everyday that the guys from CWSA screws up this big."

"Yeah, I heard that it was the biggest screw up in CWSA history." the first man replied with a chuckle.

"Joseph, you better get started, or else the boss man will turn the next week into a living hell for you." Jim said sternly.

"Aw, come on, man. You are so boring." Joseph whined. Jim couldn't understand how this man could have possibly been placed at the head of forensics. He just wasn't serious enough. No matter, Jim knew that it wasn't any of his business and that Joe definitely had a knack for finding the things that others easily overlooked.

"Just get going, the rest of the group can't be kept waiting just because you don't want to do your job." Jim said firmly.

"Alright, I guess I'll head up to evidence and get the samples. Don't let anyone into the forensics lab until I am done." Joe replied in a mock serious tone. Jim rolled his eyes as he left.

 **Three hours later**

Joseph ran through the hallway until he reached James Gamble. The door was closed, but the lights were on. That was good enough for Joseph as he barreled through the door.

"Joseph Snyder! What is the meaning of this!" James yelled as the younger Joseph came to a halt. The office was nothing special with just a desk, computer, filing cabinet, and a couple of chairs in it. James, however, still felt that it was an invasion of his privacy whenever the younger man burst into his office without permission. Especially when he was trying to update his boss on what had killed their latest victim.

"Jim, I am sorry, but this is more important then a stab wound made by a long needle behind the left ear." Joseph said quickly as he tossed a folder onto the nearby desk.

"Joe, what's got you all upset?" Ralph Taylor, their boss, asked as he studied the youngest member on the team.

"Do you remember that case the CWSA came to us with. The one that Ralph here turned down because it really wasn't our kind of thing?" Joe asked.

"Yeah, what about it? The only reason I put you on the DNA samples was to get them to leave us alone."

"Yeah, well, this just became our case. Have a look." Joe said as he opened the folder.

"Alright, Joe, this better be good, or I will skin you alive." Jim Gamble muttered as he and Ralph Taylor looked over the results.

Now all three men were fair skinned. Taylor was much old than both the other men which showed through his white streaked, black hair and small beard. He was seasoned and still fit for his age. His height really gave him the advantage over most men. He was about six foot eight, and towered over his compatriots. His hazel colored eyes scanned the pages in the folder with experienced precision.

Gamble was shorter; about an even six foot. He had neatly combed, brown hair and wore a pristine white lab coat. All of his clothing was pressed and professional. His brown eyes were proud from years of dutiful service to the Special Investigations Unit or SIU.

Joseph was the really oddball/wild-card. He had messy blonde hair and a "I am always right" attitude. The man was the shortest member of the group standing at only five foot seven. Anyone who didn't know him would have thought of him as sloppy, but in reality, it was more of an organized chaos. His blue eyes had the "I told you so" look in them as the expression of James Gamble transformed into one of surprise.

"Are you sure that this test is accurate?" Ralph Taylor asked as he placed the file back on the desk.

"Yes, I checked three times. It is accurate." Joe confirmed.

"Then we better call the CWSA and tell them we are willing to help." Taylor said as he left the office.

"There is only one group that I know of who has tried this. If it is them and they succeeded, then we are in for a world of hurt." Jim muttered as he looked down at the genetic data.

"I think that Team Rocket has finally found a way to splice the DNA of two species, and these kids are the result of that." Joe confirmed.

* * *

I hope y'all enjoyed the chapter. I really had a good time with this one. I would like to say thanks to everyone who has reviewed and has favorite/followed the story. Be sure to review if y'all have anything to say. It is great to hear constructive criticism from anyone who is enjoying the story. If y'all are enjoying the story be sure to follow/favorite. This is shieldliger001, signing off.


	9. Chapter 9

Hey guys, so I decided that I would change the update schedule. Now I will do a chapter of OMAA then a chapter of this. I used to write a chapter of this then two chapters of OMAA. Be sure to vote in my poll. It is on my profile. I have five votes and I know there are more readers than five ;). thanks to those of you that have voted. Now let's get to the reviews!

Monpoke: I picked the Pikachu line because I like the evolutionary line. I also think that Pichu and Raichu are kind of underrated when compared to Pikachu. That is why I went that evolutionary line. Austin and Emily are not boyfriend and girlfriend and I have no intention of making it that way. That would feel somewhat wrong. However, it doesn't mean that I won't make some funny scenarios out of this situation. Thanks for voting.

Philip Harbindinger: I glad that you really liked this chapter. It was extremely fun to write. I plan on making this part a little more lighthearted for a bit.

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 **Everything is funny, as long as it's happening to somebody else.**

 **Will Rogers**

* * *

 **Chapter 9**

 **Emily's POV**

"Rise and shine everyone! I have a lot to teach you and not very much time to do it! _"_ I heard Jeffric shout. I groaned and rolled over, trying to ignore his prodding. I heard Austin and Devin moan and knew that I wasn't alone.

"Dude, it isn't even light yet. Go back to sleep you stupid cat. _"_ Devin muttered sleepily. For once I agreed with him.

"Fine, but don't come running to me when you are being attacked by something and you can't defend yourself. _"_ Jeffric snorted. _"_ I guess your sleep is more important than your safety. _"_

At this, I heard Austin literally jump. I groaned as I peeked to see what he was doing. He didn't seem tired. Instead, he seemed more energetic. _"_ Come on guys! We are going to learn moves now! _"_ Austins shouted with glee.

"Whoopee, I get to learn how to hurt myself even more than I already can. _"_ Devin said grumpily. He tried to turn over and ignore Austin, but by now, Teresa had gotten up and swept him from the ground.

"I think that it is a great idea for you to learn how to defend yourself. There are a lot of dangers that come with being a Pichu as small as you are. _"_ Teresa said.

"I didn't ask for your opinion! And put me down! _"_ Devin yelled angrily.

"Devin! Am I going to have to put you in time out? _"_ Teresa asked warningly. Devin faltered before shaking his head. Teresa smiled softly while Devin pouted.

By now, I had gotten up and was waiting for Jeffric to tell us what to do. He looked at us and I saw that he was trying to decide where to start.

"The very beginning would be good. _"_ I suggested seeing how long it was taking him.

"I know that, I just don't know how to teach a couple of humans. I wish my wife was here. She would know how to do this. Heck, she taught me. _"_ Jeffric replied slightly stressed.

"Wife? _"_ I asked.

"I'm like you three. I used to be human, but that is ancient history, literally. My wife, or mate, whatever you prefer, taught me how to use moves and the how to be a Pokémon. The problem is, that I am not good at using moves. Most of the time, they sputter out or they aren't the ones I was trying to use. I think the only time they do work is when I am am extremely stressed or angry. _"_

"Like two nights ago. _"_ Devin cut in.

"Right. _"_

"So, if you aren't all that experienced, how are you going to change us back? How do we know that you can do it without screwing it up? _"_ Devin asked, his eyes narrowing dangerously.

"I don't know. _"_ Jeffric admitted.

"Devin, he will be able to do it. Just have a little faith in him. Alright? _"_ I said, hoping to get Devin to back off.

Devin studied my face for a few seconds. _"_ Fine, whatever. _"_ Devin replied.

"Alright, Teresa, I am going to need some help from you. You are a mother, so teaching kids is easy for you. _"_

"I beg to differ. Teaching children is a very hard thing to do. They don't tend to listen and give up if they don't get something right the first time they try it. _"_ Teresa glared at Jeffric.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to offend. _"_ he apologized.

"It's alright. _"_ Teresa sighed while shaking her head.

"The first thing I want y'all to do is to run with me for about half an hour. Being warmed up is the first step for any kind of physical activity. _"_ Jeffric said as he took off. Austin and I bounded after him.

 **Devin's POV**

"Don't worry Devin, you get to stay with me. _"_ Teresa spoke as I squirmed to escape her grasp.

"I don't really care about that. I just want to get away from you. _"_ I shot back.

"Just because you can't go with them, doesn't mean you can be snarky. _"_ Teresa scolded. She then smiled at me causing to cringe slightly. _"_ Besides, we have something that you need to work on more than moves. You are going to learn how to walk. _"_

"You're kidding me right? _"_ I asked incredulously. Teresa's smile flickered slightly, but it returned almost before I noticed it fade.

"I guess you would rather just be carried everywhere. I can arrange that, but just think about what your brother would think. He could have a field day with that, and I wouldn't be able to stop him. _"_

I knew that she was baiting me, but I knew she was right. I wouldn't be able to live the embarrassment down. _"_ Fine, we'll do it your way. _"_ I muttered almost inaudibly.

"Good. Hope is going to be practicing with you also since she really hasn't done any of this either. _"_ Teresa added as she placed me on the ground. Teresa then pulled Hope out of her pouch and placed her next to me. To me, she was like standing next to an adult as a five-year-old, even though she was only a few months old.

"Teresa, why do I have to have her learn with me. She can't even talk! _"_ I groaned. Teresa grinned at me mysteriously making me feel slightly unnerved.

"I can talk! _"_ huffed a quiet voice. The voice surprised me, causing me to fall backward and landed on my tail.

"Ow! _"_ I grimaced as I rolled off the offended appendage. I dusted myself off, before it struck me. _"_ She can talk! _"_

"Yes, she has been able to for quite a while now. _"_ Teresa chuckled.

"My name's Hope. I heard Momma tell you about me a little. _"_ the mini dinosaur introduced.

"All good I hope. _"_ I grumbled.

"No not really. She says that you are a snobby know-it-all and that you need to learn some manners. _"_

"Is that so? _"_ I asked menacingly, sending a glare to Teresa. Her expression was priceless. She had this horrified look stuck on her face as she desperately tried to stop Hope from continuing.

"Yeah, and she said that she has seen Snorlax with better personalities than you. And… _"_

"Alright Hope it's time to stop joking. We need to get started. _"_ Teresa interrupted, the embarrassment clearly showing on her face.

"Teresa, are going to wish that you didn't teach me how to walk because I am going to make your life miserable. _"_ I vowed under my breath.

"Ok, so there is no way to really teach you two this. You both will just have to practice alright? _"_ Teresa said grabbing my attention.

"Wait, what?I thought you said you were going to teach me. _"_ I said with an accusing glare.

"And how would you like me to do that? You are technically a quadruped. You walk on all fours. You can also walk on two legs but that is only for short distances less than a foot. Hope and I are biped. We walk on our two legs everyday. You are just going to have to learn yourself. I am sure your parents didn't teach you to walk. You picked it up yourself. _"_ Teresa replied casually.

"Sometimes, I really hate your logic. _"_ I replied.

 **Austin's POV**

The run was pleasant and helped me stretch for a bit. It was weird running on all fours but I got used to it rather quickly.

After a while, Jeffric stopped and turned to us. He seemed to be deep in thought so Emily and I didn't say anything. After a couple of minutes. Something dawned on him and he smiled.

"Alright, guys. Today, you two are going to learn the basics of electricity. I have seen both of you accidentally use electricity, yesterday. You, Austin, used it when you were talking to that Growlithe. And you, Emily used it when you freaked out yesterday morning. I want you both to tell me what you felt when you used electricity. Both physically and emotionally. _"_

"I was scared honestly. I didn't know what would happen if that Growlithe found our stuff, then I felt this pulling sensation and I saw the electricity shoot from me. _"_ I admitted.

"Good, and you Emily? _"_

"I felt a mix of shock and fear. I didn't know what was going on and… well, it just happened. _"_ Emily answered.

"So, you both felt the just about the same thing. I know that each Pokémon control their moves through different emotions. Some, like yourselves, through their fear. Others through their pride, and still, others through their hate. Each Pokémon is different and it is very hard for them to control their moves through different emotions. Also each emotion that control the moves make each move slightly different. When fulled by pride and hate. The move tends to get a boosted effect but it doesn't last as long. Moves fueled by fear tend to be weaker, but last longer. Moves from those with conflicting emotions are often sporadic and moves from those with little emotion are rather balanced. It all depends on personality. _"_ Jeffric explained.

"I think I understand. Is there a way to use moves without being scared? _"_ I asked thoughtfully.

"Yes, but it takes a lot of practice and a lot of meditation in order to do that. Unless, however, you are intensely feeling that emotion. That mostly happens with anger and is probably the most dangerous thing anyone can do. _"_ Jeffric replied. He then added, _"_ Most Pokémon just decide to use their emotion in a different way. Basically, if you are scared for your life in the wild and you get caught, most of the time a Pokémon will redirect that fear towards the fear of what would happen if they lose. _"_

"Oh ok. So how do we start channeling our emotions. _"_ Emily asked.

"You start by using your emotions. Eventually, this all becomes second nature and your powers will draw off the emotions subconsciously. Next, you should feel an energy pull toward your cheeks or other parts of you body depending on the move. _"_ Jeffric closed his eyes and held out his palms. A small, blue ball of psychic energy formed in his paws. He opened his eyes and grinned shyly. _"_ See? _"_

"That's cool! _"_ I exclaimed, thinking of all the moves that I could use.

"Ok, both of you try it now. _"_

I closed my eyes and summoned up my emotions. I am not normally a scaredy-cat. I usually try to face my problems head on. The only exception to that is, was, Devin. That being said, being afraid was not something that came naturally to me. That, made things difficult. I tried as hard as I could; not a single ounce of electricity sparked. I kept trying. I was trying so hard that I nearly forgot how to breathe.

"Ok, kid, you don't need to suffocate yourself. _"_ Jeffric sighed as I finally breathed in.

"I am not a naturally scared person. _"_ I replied.

"I know, but your species is. Very few Pikachu are brave. Even ones that are caught by trainers never lose their fear. They just deflect it from survival to letting down their trainers. _"_

"I'm sorry, but that just isn't me. _"_

"Look, you said so yourself, you were afraid when you used your electricity. _"_ Jeffric pointed out.

"That was a one time thing! _"_ I yelled back.

"I guess I am going to have instill some fear into you to prove my point. _"_ Jeffric said with a dark grin.

"W-what do you have in mind? _"_ I asked nervously.

Jeffric snapped and an antique Pokéball appeared beside him. Using, his psychic abilities, he twisted that cap and the ball popped open.

"You are going to go up against Elweard. _"_ Jeffric said coolly as Elweard appeared.

"Master Austin. I see that Master Jeffric was telling the truth about you. _"_ Elweard spoke as he got into a fighting posture.

"Elweard! What are you doing! _"_ I yelled seeing him tensing up.

"I told Master Jeffric that I would help train you if he couldn't teach you, last night when he talked to us. The way I was taught was through fighting, even though I was not ready to fight. _"_

"This is inhumane! Come on let's try something else! _"_ I yelled frantically.

"Ready or not, Master Austin, because here I come! _"_

Elweard launched at me and I scrambled. There was no way on this green earth that I was going to be sticking around. He slammed into the ground fist first just an inch away from where I was. The ground cracked and chunks of rock, some the size of my head, flew past. My eyes widened, realizing that hit could have sent me to the hospital!

"Elweard! Can't you go easy on me! _"_ I pleaded as I ran away with a stream of craters rapidly appearing behind me.

"This is how I learned to fight. Hit or be hit. _"_ Elweard grinned.

"You are a terrible teacher! _"_ I yelled.

 **Emily's POV**

"This is really starting to seem pointless. _"_ I said as Austin ran for his life.

"It really isn't having the effect that I thought it would. _"_ Jeffric agreed as we watched.

"Are there any other ideas? _"_

"No, not really. I figured that Elweard would be enough of a scare to force Austin into using his electricity. _"_ Jeffric shrugged. _"_ We'll give it ten more minutes. _"_

Ten minutes passed and absolutely nothing happened aside from Austin getting the crap scared out of him. He didn't produce a single thread of electricity. Jeffric stopped the "fight" and brought the two "combatants" over to the side of the battleground.

"Master Jeffric, I thought you said that he understood the basics of moves. _"_ Elweard said accusingly.

"I explained them to him before you got here. I told him everything. You know, how to use their emotions like fear to power the moves… _"_

"Wait, you told them emotions power their moves? _"_ Elweard asked incredulously.

"Well, yeah. What else would I tell them? _"_ Jeffric asked slightly perplexed.

"Jeffric, how well do you use Pokémon moves? _"_ Elweard asked slowly, his eyes narrowing.

"I am not very good myself. However, my… mate taught me most of what she knows. _"_

"Jeffric, you are a fool if you thought emotions powered the moves! _"_ Elweard said heatedly. _"_ Why, the very idea that they did is… is ludicrous! _"_

"That was the way I was taught and it hasn't failed me once! _"_

"Have you ever been in a battle? Have you ever been in a friendly competition? There is no fear involved! _"_ Elweard replied.

"What do you say we go and check on Devin? This sounds like it will go on for a while. _"_ I whispered to Austin who was still panting.

"Sounds like a plan to me. _"_ puffed Austin as we began to sneak away from the arguing teachers.

"You know, those two aren't good teachers if they argue with each other. _"_ I said out loud when we were out of earshot.

"Uh, yeah. I'll tell you what, Elweard definitely scared the life out of me. One hit and I would be roadkill. _"_

"He definitely gave you your exercise. I bet Devin would have paid good money to see you get tossed around like that. _"_ I chuckled. Austin shot me a dirty look before smiling.

"Yep, he would give anything to be the one to do that himself. _"_ he agreed.

 **Devin's POV**

I got the hang of walking pretty fast, just not as fast as Hope. She beat me to it by twenty minutes and it was really burned me. It made me look like an idiot and I vowed to show her up. I decided that the best way to do that was to be the first one to run. I started out walking just a tad faster. As soon as I was comfortable with that speed, I sped up. I repeated that process until I had become quite confident. I ran a few test laps to make sure that I was ready and decided that I was.

"Hey Teresa, watch this! _"_ I called as I picked up speed.

A good ten seconds into my run, and the bushes to my left began to shake. Austin and Emily stepped right in front of me! I tried to stop, but I tripped instead! I rolled head of heel and collapsed in a heap just in front of them. Teresa looked over just in time to see my epic fail.

"Devin! Be careful. You don't have to push yourself. If you go too fast too soon, you could hurt yourself. _"_ Teresa scolded worriedly.

I began to explain that Austin and Emily just surprised me, but I was interrupted by another call. _"_ Momma! Watch this! _"_

It was Hope! She came out of nowhere running as fast as her legs could carry her! My mouth dropped as Teresa praised her! I closed my mouth and shot daggers at Emily and Austin. _"_ Thanks guys. You just got me shown up again! _"_

"We just came by to see how you were doing. Are you ok? _"_ Emily asked as she helped me up.

"No! I just got shown up again and you guys were the ones to cause it! _"_ I yelled back angrily. I scampered off not wanting to be around them any longer.

I didn't go far before finding a nice place to mope. It was an old stump that had been partially hollowed out. I reflected on the day's events, but couldn't bring myself to admit that Emily and Austin had stepped in front of me by accident. I knew that it was childish, but I couldn't forgive them. Not yet. I my emotions shot everywhere. I was disappointed and sad and angry all at the same time. Eventually, I broke down. I started crying, unable to control myself anymore. I didn't even know why I was really crying. It just felt good. I released the pain that was building up inside me.

"Oh, you poor thing, are you ok? _"_ a voice asked. I stopped crying and looked around frantically. Standing a few feet behind the stump, was a large, orange mouse. It was the same one that Jeffric had become yesterday morning.

"I-I'm fine. J-just go a-away. _"_ I cried.

"Oh child, you don't seem alright. Why are you all alone? Where are your parents? _"_ the obviously female mouse asked worriedly.

"T-they are g-gone. I a-am with m-my brother and… s-sister. _"_ I partially lied.

"I see, it is a terrible thing when youngsters like yourself lose their parents. Where are your brother and sister? Are they apart of the colony? _"_

"W-what c-colony? _"_ I asked tearfully.

"I guess that answers my question. _"_ the large mouse muttered to herself. _"_ Do you know where your brother and sister are? _"_

I didn't know where they actually were, nor did I really care. I only knew the direction I had come from. I didn't trust this newcomer, so I didn't even want to tell her that much. However, I was conflicted and didn't know what to do.

Finally, after several torturous seconds, I made up my mind. _"_ I know where they are. _"_

"Alright then, can you take me to them? I would like to talk to them about something. _"_ the bigger mouse asked sweetly. She was treating me like a kid and it was getting on my nerves.

"Maybe. How do I know that I can trust you? _"_ I asked suspiciously.

"Child, we chus have to protect each other. It is too dangerous for us not to be able to trust each other. You have my word that I will not harm you or your family. _"_ the mouse vowed.

"Alright, but I'll be watching you. _"_ I warned.

"I know you will, child. My name is Aurelia. What is your name? _"_ she asked.

"My name is Devin. _"_ I replied.

 **Teresa's POV**

"Devin! Devin, where are you? _"_ I yelled. _"_ That boy will be the death of me. _"_

"Momma? Why did Devin run off? _"_ Hope asked from my pouch.

"Well, he was just upset. He fell and he thought that his brother would make fun of him. _"_ I explained to my little one.

"Momma, I think it's my fault. He… he was r-running and I got jealous. When his brother came out and he tripped, I thought that I would beat him again. I knew that it would make him angry! _"_ Hope cried. I picked up the crying child and tried to comfort her.

"Dear, you didn't know that he would do that. It is not your fault. I know that you feel guilty, but you had no control over what he does. _"_ I explained.

"Teresa, let me take over the search. I can find him easily. You go take care of your kid. _"_ Elweard said from behind me. Elweard stood behind me, looking somewhat downtrodden.

"No, I want to keep looking for him. It would be better if he saw me first. _"_ I replied, turning back in the direction the boy had gone. _"_ Go back to the others and tell Emily and Austin to stay calm. Don't let them run off. We don't need to lose them as well. _"_

"I am sure Jeffric can handle those two. At least let me help. _"_ Elweard replied.

"Elweard, you better not be feeling guilty. _"_ I admonished. The Lucario stared at the ground for several seconds before looking back up at me. _"_ You are feeling guilty, aren't you. _"_

"I should have... _"_ Elweard began but I cut him off before he could really have started.

"Elweard, you are as bad as the children. You didn't have any control over anything that happened. At least Jeffric didn't try to take responsibility. _"_

"He tried to, but I wouldn't let him. That's why I came out here to help. If I didn't, he would have torn down this entire forest. _"_ Elweard explained. I shook my head out of disappointment.

"Am I the only one who' not feeling guilty about Devin running off? I know that sounds harsh, but I have no control over his actions; neither do the rest of you. _"_ I lectured.

"Alright, alright, I get the point. Let's just find the kid and get back to the others. _"_

 **Devin's POV**

I cautiously led Aurelia back the way I had come. I still didn't trust her. I mean wasn't I doing the one thing that you are not supposed to do? I was in the woods by myself with someone I just met.

"We are almost there. _"_ I said quietly. I heard the sounds of several voices up ahead that I quickly registered as Emily, Austin, and Jeffric. I pushed toward my final stop and found myself being stared at with disbelieving looks.

"Devin! Where have you been! _"_ Emily shouted while tackling me in the process.

"I just wanted to get some time alone. _"_ I murmured as I struggled to get out from underneath her.

"You scared us to death! What if you were kidnapped again? What would we have done then? Last time we were lucky, if it happened again, then you could have been killed! You could have been somebody's dinner! _"_ Austin added.

"I… I know. I'm sorry. _"_ I replied quietly.

"Devin? Who is your friend? _"_ Jeffric asked. I turned to see Aurelia standing behind me staring in bewilderment at Jeffric.

"Guys, this is Aurelia. She found me when I had ran off. _"_ I explained.

"Master Mew… _"_ Aurelia uttered. Jeffric smiled softly and walked over to the stunned mouse.

"I am a Mew, however I am not your master. You can call me Jeffric. _"_ Jeffric smiled.

"Master Jeffric… forgive me. If I had known that a Mew was in these forest, I would have let the colony know. We would have offered you hospitality. _"_ she said apologetically. Jeffric's smile faltered slightly at the mention of the word master, but quickly returned.

"You don't need to apologize. My friends and I made an unexpected stop here. _"_ Jeffric replied. Aurelia nodded, but still seemed to be brooding over Jeffric's appearance.

 **Teresa's POV**

"Are you sure that we are going the right way? This is the way back to camp. _"_ I asked.

"Yes, this is the right way. It seems to me that Devin turned back. _"_ Elweard replied as he continued to track the boy.

"I wonder what made him go back? _"_ I muttered.

"I think he was being chased by someone. There is a second aura trail here. The aura Devin left behind is filled with apprehension. _"_ Elweard said, shifting uncomfortably.

"Maybe you should head back to camp and see if he made it back. I will make sure that he didn't veer off somewhere. _"_ Elweard suggested.

"Alright, hope you are right and he did head back to camp. _"_

Twenty minutes later, and I was nearing the camp site. Devin's voice broke the silence allowing me to breathe a sigh of relief. I walked through the brush to find everyone safe and sound. Then the sound of electricity flying towards me ruined my relief. I stepped back, bewildered. The source of the bolt was a Raichu.

"Hope, stay down in the pouch. _"_ I muttered as I got ready to retaliate. The Raichu, with fangs bared, charged at me. I wasn't afraid, but it was a little unusual that a Raichu, which is normally prey, would charge a predator. The Raichu jumped at me, but she never made contact. A barrier separated me and the Raichu. A barrier that she had hit head on. She slid down the barrier and onto the ground. She looked at Jeffric with confusion.

"Master Jeffric… why did you stop me? Kangaskhan are predators. They will hurt the child. _"_ she muttered through her daze.

"I am not a child! _"_ I heard Devin shout.

"Teresa is different. She will not hurt you or the others. Besides, she is Devin's caretaker and they have grown quite attached. _"_ Jeffric explained. _"_ Trust me, she will not harm you. _"_

"I don't like Teresa, and she isn't my caretaker! She just keeps me from doing whatever I want! _"_

"Shut up, Devin! _"_ Jeffric, Austin, and Emily said in unison. Devin began pouting. I smiled softly and scooped the little Pichu up. Despite the protests, I cradled him gently in my arms.

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I hope y'all liked the chapter. It was fun for me to write. I thought about a colony for a long time and I hope this turns out well. I have quite a few things planned for the next few chapters and I would really like everyone's input. Everybody be sure to vote on the poll that is on my profile as well. If y'all have anything to say, be sure to leave a review or pm me. If you are enjoying the story, be sure to smash that favorite/follow button! This is shieldliger001, signing off.


	10. Chapter 10

Hey guys, I know that it has been a while since I have updated, and for that, I apologize. I just had a lot going on. I was on vacation for two weeks in Oklahoma. I have been out and about driving, trying to finish up some driving hours, and I got an Xbox one with fallout 4 and black ops 3. Not to mention that school is back in session, not that that affects me much since I will be doing some college classes. Anyways, I hope you enjoy the chapter. On to the reviews.

Monpoke: I believe we talked about most of your review through the PM, I don't think I answered the last part. At this point, they have been in the Pokémon world for about three weeks.

AveragePichu: I knew that you would agree with me on that. I personally do think that Raichu is underrated only because of Pikachu. Then you have Pichu. The one Pokémon that gets ignored more than anything. I think Magikarp has been in more episodes of Pokémon than Pichu!

* * *

 **Judge me if you want to. And as a matter of fact, it won't even count, 'cause the only person who can judge is God.**

 **Kelly Rowland**

* * *

 **Chapter 10**

 **Devin's POV**

It took several of hours to convince Aurelia that Elweard and Teresa were alright, even with Jeffric's help. Eventually, we convinced her and she decided to lead us to her colony. She was still on edge and shot Elweard and Teresa a wary look every chance she got. Aurelia led us through several large bushes. Inside was an opening that seemed to go straight into the ground. It was a burrow: a burrow that Teresa and Elweard would have no hope in climbing through.

"Stay here. I will return shortly." Aurelia ordered before disappearing down the hole.

Several minutes later, she returned followed by two Pikachu and another Raichu. The two Pikachu stood on either side of the Raichu like body guards. The Raichu was young. He looked younger than Aurelia, but he seemed experienced to say the least.

"Master Mew, it is my honor to welcome you to our colony. I am afraid to say that the Kangaskhan and the Lucario will not be easy to bring in, this is the only entrance and there is no possible way that they could fit inside the tunnels. _"_ the Raichu greeted.

"Thank you Leader uh… what was your name? _"_ Jeffric asked.

"I apologize. I am not used to receiving visitors so I tend to forget to introduce myself. I am Chief Baraq. These fine Pikachu are my brothers, Adad and Anil. _"_

"I am Jeffric, this is Austin, Emily, and Devin. The Lucario is Elweard and the Kangaskhan is Teresa. We are honored to be here. Thank you for allowing us to stay for a short amount of time. _"_ Jeffric replied.

"It is our pleasure. Now, if you have a way to transport your friends, I will show you the colony. _"_

"Elweard, Teresa, you both will have to remain in your Pokéballs. _"_ Jeffric said as he snapped the Pokéballs into reality.

"They are trained Pokémon? _"_ Baraq asked, obviously astonished.

"They were formerly. They now serve as my body guard and adviser. I found that it is sometimes useful for them to have their Pokéballs even though they are free from humans. _"_ Jeffric explained.

"I understand. Once we are out of the tunnels, they will be able to move freely. _"_ Baraq replied. _"_ Please, come this way. _"_

We followed Baraq and his brothers down into the tunnels. It turned out that is was more of a labyrinth, with tunnels branching off in various directions. Our leaders led us down certain tunnels and avoided others as if they were the plague. Baraq said that they dug the tunnels in such a way that anyone not from the colony would easily become lost and confused. I was beginning to have questions about this colony. It worried me that they would have to have this much complexity to stay safe. Then I remembered that mice aren't exactly high on the food chain. Questions were bubbling up and I soon lost the battle that was keeping me silent.

"So, what is the colony like? _"_ I asked Aurelia. The tunnel was just wide enough for me to squeeze next to her.

"It is a wonderful place. We have plenty of food and always have warm burrows to sleep in. _"_ Aurelia replied. She sounded like a used car salesman, making me not want to believe her.

"So, is everything underground? _"_

"No, only the tunnels. In fact, we should be making our ascent pretty soon _"_ Aurelia answered.

"What are the Pokémon like? Are they friendly? _"_

"Are you worried about fitting in? You shouldn't be. You are one of the cutest Pichus I have ever seen. You don't have a thing to worry about. _"_ Aurelia reassured.

"Great, I'm cute even to Pokémon. _"_ I muttered under my breathe.

"Did you say something? _"_

"No, I was just thinking out loud. _"_ I replied.

Aurelia was right when she said we would be heading up soon. The tunnels went from unnaturally flat to nearly unclimbable. I had difficulty being able to walk and now I had a freaking mountain to climb! I grumbled as we climbed and was soon receiving help from a rather unexpected person.

"You ok? _"_ Austin asked as he kept me from slipping.

"Yeah, I'm fine. _"_ I huffed. Austin chuckled while he continued to make sure that I did not slip.

Truth be told, I was grateful for his help. It was a nice change considering our record. I didn't complain much after this. Soon we made it out into the fresh air.

I was surprised by what I saw. It was a large bowl shaped paradise. The walls were trees that were so close together that not even a mouse could squeeze through. That was probably the reason the leader picked this area. It was beautiful. Soft grass grew all over. There were small hills that dotted the area. All of them were covered in grass and they all seemed to have entrances to burrows in them. There was an area where the several Pikachu were having mock battles. There was another area where a group of Pichu were playing.

Baraq interrupted my amazement with a chuckle. He stood on his hind legs and motioned to the colony. _"_ Welcome to our home. _"_

 **Austin's POV**

Baraq led us to a burrow that was vacant. He asked for us to keep Elweard and Teresa in their Pokéballs until he could call a meeting and explain everything to the colony. Jeffric agreed, not wanting to cause a panic. Baraq told us to settle in, then left to call the meeting.

The burrow was spacious and fit us perfectly. There were already beds of grass inside which made things easier for us. There were four "rooms" with three beds per room. Since there were so many beds. Devin automatically called a room by himself. Since there were only four of us to begin with, I was fine with it.

Shortly after we made sleeping arrangements, one of Baraq's brothers came to escort us to the meeting. He quickly took off toward the middle of the colony, where a large tree stood. Baraq was standing high above the large crowd that appeared there. Baraq's brother took us to where Baraq stood and then scurried off. Baraq smiled at us then began his speech.

"Brothers and Sisters! Today we are blessed by the presence of Mew! He has come to our colony, seeking refuge. He has brought several others with him. Please welcome them. Mew has also brought two predators. Mew has said that they will not attack us, and are his personal bodyguard and adviser! Please, treat them with the utmost respect. They have no intention to devour any of us. This, he has promised! Please, welcome our guest! _"_ Baraq shouted. There were murmurs in the crowd as Pokémon discussed between themselves what was happening. Baraq looked out over the crowd and smiled.

"Welcome to the colony! _"_ someone shouted in the crowd. Then the crowd erupted into cheering.

"You may release your friends now. The colony has been notified. _"_

"Thank you. I think I will do so back at our burrow. _"_ Jeffric replied.

"I believe that it would be best if you did it here and now. That way, everyone will know what the predators are. _"_

"I guess that does make sense. _"_ Jeffric replied thoughtfully. He snapped his fingers and the Pokéballs appeared next to him. He opened them and the cheering crowd fell silent. Elweard and Teresa appeared. It was so quiet that the Kricketots could be heard in the distance.

"Now everyone, please remain calm. These are Master Mew's trusted friends. If he trusts them then I do as well. I want everyone to treat them as you would treat me. That is all for tonight. _"_ Baraq yelled. There were a few murmurs as the crowd dispersed. Otherwise it was silent.

Baraq walked us back to our burrow. He seemed wary, because of Elweard and Teresa's presence but he was doing well with them around.

"Baraq, I was wondering if there was someone who could train me and Emily. _"_ I asked.

"I am sure that can be arranged. I will send someone over at first light. _"_ Baraq answered.

"Um, Baraq? What am I supposed to do when they are training? Do I just stay at the burrow? _"_ Devin asked nervously.

"Children, should not address their elders by their first name. _"_ Baraq scalded, making Devin jump back a little. Baraq chuckled for a moment. _"_ It is alright, you will be taken to the daycare. _"_

"I am too old to go to a daycare! _"_ Devin exclaimed.

"Well, it is not really a daycare. It is more like a school. The teachers will teach you for a few hours then they will take you outside to play and enjoy the sun. _"_ Baraq explained with another chuckle. Devin took little comfort in Baraq's explanation.

"What are you and Elweard and Teresa going to do, Jeffric? _"_ I asked as we neared the burrow.

"I think that I will be discussing things with Baraq. I don't know what Teresa and Elweard are going to do. _"_ Jeffric replied.

"I will probably spend the day meditating. _"_ said Elweard.

"I will just have to take care of Hope. There isn't much here for us to do since we are not the same species as the colony. Hope won't have anything to do either. _"_ Teresa replied quietly.

"How old is your child. _"_ Baraq asked.

"She is about as old as Devin here. _"_ she replied.

"Well, we could allow her to go with Devin. I will say this, I am not sure if she will be accepted though. _"_ Baraq said.

"Oh _…"_ Teresa muttered. She was obviously pained by Baraq's honesty.

"I will stay with her, if that helps. Don't get me wrong, I am not saying that I am babysitting her. I am just going to make sure that nobody messes with her. _"_ Devin volunteered, shocking just about everyone.

"Thank you so much, Devin. It will be great for Hope to have a friend to help her. _"_ Teresa thanked.

"I didn't say that I was her friend. I just said that I would look out for her. _"_ Devin reiterated.

 **Devin's POV**

Shortly after we made our plans for tomorrow, we went into the burrow and got ready for bed. I was happy to have an entire room to myself. Emily, Jeffric and Austin also went to their respective rooms.

I tried to sleep but I couldn't. The darkness felt oppressive, and the fact that I was in a strange place didn't help. I was having this problem for the past few days.

I twisted and turned for over an hour. Sleep evaded me at every turn. Soon I sat up, unable to take the darkness anymore. I got up and walked slowly toward one of the other rooms. I looked inside and saw Austin sleeping soundly. I sighed, not wanting to wake him up. I walked to Emily's room, and found the same thing. Finally, I went to Jeffric's room. He too, was asleep. I was about to walk back to my room, when a voice filled my head.

" _Devin? What are you doing up at this hour? Everyone else is asleep"_ Jeffric asked.

I froze, thinking that I could possibly sneak away, but those thoughts were dashed by my own clumsy feet. I fell straight on my tail causing me let out a loud whimper.

"Kid, you have got to stop doing that. If you don't, you won't have a tail let. _"_ Jeffric scolded.

"It wasn't like I did it on purpose. _"_ I muttered.

"You haven't answered my question. Why aren't you asleep? _"_

"I couldn't sleep. I thought someone may have been awake, so I got up. You weren't actually asleep, were you? _"_

"I was still awake. You weren't… nah never mind. _"_

"I wasn't what? _"_ I asked curiously.

"You weren't afraid of the dark were you. _"_ Jeffric asked.

"No! I was _not_ afraid of the dark. _"_ I denied vehemently.

"Devin, you can't lie to me. I can tell that you were. _"_ Jeffric tutted.

"Then why did you even ask? _"_ I growled.

"To get confirmation. Celebi, said that there could be a few side-effects with… what happened to you three. It is just your mind adjusting to your body. It is perfectly natural. _"_

"I don't know about you, but none of this is natural! _"_ I whispered through gritted teeth.

"I didn't mean it like that. I just meant that it is something that should happen. In fact I would be worried if it didn't happen. _"_ Jeffric replied coolly.

"Why? _"_

"Because, that would mean that you would have a mental breakdown. Those are never good. _"_

"Oh, I guess that wouldn't be good. _"_ I muttered.

"Despite what you think, things will get better. There is something that will happen. It will seem like the darkest time you have ever faced, but something that you have never had will come from it. _"_

"And what is that? _"_ I asked skeptically.

"That, you will have to find out later. _"_ Jeffric smiled mysteriously.

"Gee, your helpful. _"_ I said sarcastically.

Jeffric chuckled then sat up. _"_ You better head back to bed. You will have a busy day tomorrow. _"_

"Yeah, yeah, I know all about it. _"_ I said, rolling my eyes.

 **Gamble's POV**

"Joe! I know you're in there! Get out here and give me back my laptop! _"_ I yelled. Several seconds of silence filled the room. _"_ Joe! Where is that idiot?"

"Gamble? What are you doing here? You are supposed to be upstairs getting the powder results for the Rodney murder case." a slightly deep voice asked with authority.

I spun around out of surprise. Spotting the slightly taller man, I let out a sigh of relief. "Oh, Wilder! You scared the crap out of me!"

"Uh huh. You are still supposed to be getting the gun powder results. What are you doing down here in Snyder's lab?"

"Oh, the punk took off with my laptop. I have the results on it, but Snyder came crashing through my office, yelling something about needing the extra computing strength, then took off. I have been searching for him ever since." I replied rather angrily.

"I see. Did you try calling him?" Wilder asked, his green eyes appraising my every twitch.

"Um, no, I didn't." I admitted much to my own chagrin.

"For a guy who is supposed to be smart, you are one of the most ignorant people I have met." Wilder ran his lightly tanned hand through his auburn hair. "What is the one thing that we have to remind Joe about all of the time?"

"To turn off his phone in the meetings." I replied.

"Right, so, all you need to do is punch in his phone number and you will probably find him." Wilder explained slowly as if speaking to a child.

"Hardy har har, very funny." I replied, begrudgingly dialing Joe's number. Seconds later, a faint song could be heard from the computer lab on the far end of the room. "Oh no." I muttered, running across the room.

"Jim! What are you doing in here?" Joe's voice cried as I burst through the door. I scanned the room and found Joe sitting at a table scattered with computer parts.

"No, no, no! Snyder, that had better not be my laptop that is scattered on that table of yours. If it is, so help me..." I let the threat hang for a moment to see what he would say.

"This isn't you computer! This is my desktop! I just had to add a few things so I could get the 3D projector to process the images I needed it to! Your computer is over there!" Snyder panicked. I looked over at where Snyder was pointing and nearly fainted. My computer was in even smaller pieces than his desktop!

"Snyder! There had better be a good explanation for this." I growled.

"Well, my computer is several years old and can't handle some of the new features that have come out, like the 3D projectors. I needed to temporarily borrow the graphics card and ram cards out of that new laptop of yours in order to get it to cooperate with my PC." Joe confessed.

"Joe, you better get my computer put back together in ten minutes or so help me, I will make your life miserable!"

"Gamble, please. I am almost done. I just need to plug it in and show you all what I have found. I promise that I will fix your computer afterwards. Just let me use it for now." Joe begged.

"Fine, but it better work better than new when you are done with it."

Joe quickly finished his adjustments then sent for Taylor and Wilder. The two men showed up a few minutes later. Joe, being the informal type he is, greeted the two with a quick nod.

"What do you have for us, Snyder?" Taylor asked.

"I found something that will be kind of hard to swallow, Sir. You may find it hard to believe, but at any rate, this is what the tests are showing."

Snyder pressed a button on a remote and the entire room went dark. He pressed another button and two large circles, one in the floor and one in the ceiling, about three feet in diameter, glowed to life. The light formed into a double helix.

"This is an average strand of DNA of a human." Snyder explained before he pressed another button on his remote. "This is the sample strand we got from the CWSA. As you can see, there are some major differences in the polypeptide groups here and here, while there are some major similarities here and here."

I looked at the four main spots he pointed out and asked. "We already know that we are dealing with a hybrid of some sort. So whats the point in showing us this?"

"Because, I took the same sample and looked at it to see if I missed anything. This is what I found." Snyder replied.

A third double helix appeared. There were obvious similarities between it and the second double helix, but almost no similarities between the first and the third.

"What exactly does this all mean, Joseph?" Taylor asked.

"Ralph, this is the same strand that I tested yesterday. I have never seen anything like it before in my life. I know that this might sound crazy, but these samples are saying that the DNA wasn't spliced. It is saying that they were in flux. This DNA sample literally changed. I think we are dealing with some kind of metamorphosis."

"Preposterous. Why the very idea would break every law of physics that we have." I scoffed.

Joe, very seriously, replied, "Not if the matter is transforming into energy then back into matter."

"Snyder, do you have any proof?" Taylor asked.

"The cells in the sample are constantly breaking down. When something breaks down, it releases energy. For example, look at a simple nuclear bomb. You shoot the uranium bullet through a tube so it will strike the reaction mass. The force of the hit cause other uranium atoms to split and decay. When they decay, the release causes energy to explode outward. This seems to be the same thing except on a bio-molecular level instead of an atomic level."

"Nonsense, something like this just can't happen. It is impossible!"

"One thing I have learned, is that there is no such thing as impossible. After all, they did find a way to turn lead into gold, just like the alchemist of old dreamt of."

I could only gape at the young man's arguments. He was correct. Scientist have found a way to take the three protons away from lead to transform it into gold. However, the process required bombarding a piece of lead with high levels of beta radiation for very long periods of time until the lead itself becomes radioactive. Then it has to decay until it becomes thallium which then has to decay into mercury and finally into gold. The process was too expensive, too complicated, and you couldn't use the gold for five thousand years because it would take that long for the radiation to become nonlethal. Even then, the gold would have formed into some other type of element depending on how long it was radioactive.

"I still find it insane, Taylor. That is my professional opinion." I said after a few minutes.

"How many samples do we have?" Wilder asked.

"We have about forty separate strands of hair, Sir" Snyder replied.

"Well, since our two resident geniuses can't agree, I want the two of you to whip up something that the K-9 units can track and leave it at that."

"Yes sir!" Snyder said with a mock salute.

"Wilder, the scent is probably gone by now. It has been a day and a half since we found the samples." I said.

"Then you both better make something quick." Wilder replied.

 **Devin's POV**

"Devin, rise and shine. _"_ a voice called softly. I felt something trying to shake me awake. I batted away whoever it was and tried going back to sleep. Of course, whoever it was trying to wake me was very persistent and didn't take the hint. They tried again, this time harder.

"Let me try. _"_ a new voice said. I didn't think much of it until a jolt of electricity was sent through my being. I shot up into the air like a rocket. I was completely wide awake and I felt like I had just been given ten energy drinks.

"What in the world was that! _"_ I yelled.

"An electric shock. You could say that I jump started you. _"_ Baraq replied. I gaped at the large mouse. For one, he was in _my_ room without _my_ permission. Two, he just did something that could have been fatal to me. And three, everyone just let him do it!

"Why is he in here, why did you try killing me, and why did you guys just watch him do it? _"_ I demanded.

Baraq let out a loud snort. _"_ For someone your size, you sure do have a large mouth. To answer your questions, your older brother let me in, although, it really wouldn't matter since I _am_ the chief of this clan. _"_

"The only shocks that are dangerous to you are the ones that you release because most of the time, it is like a short circuit which can potentially kill you. What he did was just charge your batteries, so to speak. _"_ Austin answered.

"Do we really need to answer the third one? _"_ Emily asked.

"I guess not. Well, that shock did wake me up though. I feel like I could run a decathlon! _"_ I replied in total amazement.

"I didn't even know that you knew what a decathlon was. _"_ Austin teased.

"Shut up. _"_ I replied halfheartedly.

"Alright, now that we have your brother up and about, we can leave. Devin, Aurelia will be by shortly to take you and your… friend to see your class. _"_ Baraq said before turning and walking toward the exit.

"Why do I have to go to some stupid class? It's not fair. _"_ I muttered.

"Because that "stupid" class may save your life one of these days. _"_ Baraq yelled from outside the burrow. Soon, it was just me and Jeffric.

"Alright, how did he hear me? _"_ I asked incredulously.

"His ears aren't big for no reason, and neither are yours. If you would stop causing such a ruckus everywhere you go, you would notice that you can hear a lot better now than you could as a human. _"_ Jeffric replied snidely.

I was about give Jeffric a piece of my mind, but didn't get a chance since Aurelia picked that exact moment to pop in.

"Devin, I am so glad to have you in my class while you stay with us! I hope you will be able to learn something! Oh, I can't wait to introduce you to all of the other children! _"_ she said in a singsong tone.

"I am sure that _Hope_ and I will learn a lot from you today. _"_ I replied, emphasizing Hope's name.

"Oh _…_ I am sure that the other children will… be very… understanding to Hope. _"_ Aurelia replied with much less enthusiasm. _"_ Come. You do not want to be late, do you? _"_

* * *

I hope y'all enjoyed the chapter. I am enjoy writing the scientific stuff because it almost sounds like the fantastic is possible if you word it right. The whole lead to gold thing is actually true. By taking away some of the protons, you can change lead into gold. It was a big topic that we discussed last year in chemistry. Like I said in the story though, it would be practically useless for about five thousand years so there would be no point in doing it. The whole process is called Nuclear Transmutation. Enough of the science lessons, this is shieldliger001, signing off.


	11. Chapter 11

Sup guys, so I know this took a little while, but it is finally here. I am going to try and cut down on the AN since I am not even sure if many people read them. So, onto the reviews!

Average Pichu: I have seen it spelled either way you may see me switch between advisor and adviser because to me both of them seem correct and I can't decide which one to use. I am having Devin act more childish because it is something really isn't explored. I figured that since the brain is also physically five, he would have the same tendencies as an actually five year old.

Monpoke: Don't worry, I haven't forgotten about Brand. I have something special planned for the next few chapters that will include him in it. The reason Devin isn't asked his opinion much is because of that hidden mechanism in everyone that says 'young kids can't contribute.' As false as this is, especially for Devin, everyone has already made assumption about him before listening to what he has to say. That too, will be addressed later on.

 **From there to here, and here to there, funny things are everywhere.**

 **Dr. Seuss**

 **Chapter 11**

 **Devin's POV**

"Everyone, today we have two guests. They will be staying for a little while so please make them feel comfortable. This is Devin. He is the youngest of three and has been traveling with Master Mew and his companions. This is Hope. She is the daughter of Master Mew's advisor. _"_ Aurelia announced.

I cringe slightly at being called the youngest, but was more interested in the reactions Hope would be getting. Humans could be horrible when it came to someone that was different than them. I figured that it would be even worse for someone who wasn't even the same species.

The other Pichus reacted with a lot of whispers and stares. Hope fidgeted and stared at the ground. Seconds later, we were ushered towards the back of the group. I sat next to Hope so that she could have somebody she knew near her.

"Aren't you afraid? _"_ a small voice squeaked at me. I looked around for the source and found a Pichu not much bigger than I was sitting a foot away.

"No. Why would I be? Her mother is my po… I mean my caretaker. She has never hurt me so why would I be afraid? _"_ I replied. I silently chided myself for almost slipping up. The Pichu looked at me with a hint of confusion.

"But her kind eats us. How do you know that she won't eat you if she gets hungry? _"_ she quickly shot back.

"Look. That pitiful excuse for a cat put her mom in charge of me. If Jeffric trusts her to handle my antics than I'm sure he trusts her not to eat me. _"_ I leveled. _"_ Why don't you try to get to know her before you try judging her? _"_

The Pichu looked at her with a frightened stare, before summoning the courage to talk to her.

"H-hi, m-my name i-is Ell. I-it is n-nice to m-meet y-you, H-Hope. _"_ Ell stammered. The fright was carved into her face like etched glass.

"Nice to meet you too! _"_ Hope beamed.

"I told you she was nice. _"_ I said.

The Pichu scooted a little closer to me, cautiously watching Hope. Hope watched in bemusement, unsure of what to do or say.

"For the love of all things living, Just talk to each other! You are both girls! There has to be something that you can talk about! _"_ I said, quickly becoming irritated.

"You try being an outsider for once. Everyone is afraid that I am going to eat them. I would like to see everyone being afraid of you like that! _"_ Hope spat.

"I wasn't raised with something that could eat me either. _"_ Ell mumbled softly.

"Children, is there a problem? _"_ Aurelia asked, suspicion and worry covered by a feigned smile.

"No, Ma'am, everything is alright. _"_ Ell spoke up.

"Alright then. If there is a problem, be sure to come and get me. _"_ she said to us, though she was mostly talking to Ell.

Aurelia want back to the tree she was under and looked over the entire group of Pichu. There were maybe thirty of us and seven Pikachu. So far, I had no clue what we were supposed to do. I was about to ask a nearby Pikachu, but Aurelia answered my question before I could ask.

"Today class, we are going to go to the battlegrounds and talk with Adad and Anil. They will be showing you the importance of learning to fight or flee, as will they demonstrate several ways to escape a predator. I want you all to be on your best behavior and to listen to what they have to say. Is that understood? _"_

"Yes, Ma'am! _"_ the class said loudly in response.

The seven Pikachu and Aurelia herded us to the scorched part of the colony. Two Pikachu sat just before the battlegrounds and got up as we approached.

"Aurelia! It is good to see you today. Is the class ready to see some action? _"_ one of the brothers asked, though I wasn't sure which one was which.

"I think they are pretty excited Anil. You can begin as soon as you are ready. _"_ Aurelia replied.

"Alright kids, listen up! Most of you know me because you probably have a brother or sister that is training under me, but I will introduce myself anyways. I am Anil and the quiet statue over here is Adad!Today, we are going to show you some basic moves that you can use to escape a predator if one happens to grab you. To help with our demonstration, we have a special guest. He is the appointed protector of Master Mew. Elweard why don't you come on out? _"_ Anil announced excitedly.

Elweard seemed to appear out of nowhere. One minute, there was no one there and the next there was a five foot tall, Lucario. Everyone including myself jumped about ten feet in the air. I wasn't scared, but it did startle me.

"It is my pleasure to teach you all today. I hope you all learn something that will one day save your life. _"_ Elweard said humbly. There were nervous whispers and mutterings between the Pichu. Even the Pikachu looked around worriedly. The only ones that didn't seem to be affected by Elweard's presence were Adad, Anil, Hope, and myself. After a few long seconds of silence, Adad decided to start their demonstration.

'This should be interesting.' I thought with a smirk.

 **Austin's POV**

"Very good, Emily. We are going to make a warrior out of you in no time. _"_ our instructor, Clay, praised.

According to Baraq, Clay is considered one of the strongest Pikachu in the colony. He supposedly is able to withstand most ground type attacks without any harm and that he was able to take on three Onix by himself. Of course, I really don't believe that to all be true, but I couldn't say it to the guy's face.

"No, not like that Austin. You need to relax more. Try to copy what your sister is doing. _"_ Clay instructed.

It was burning me that Emily was able to get this stuff so easily; I was sitting here looking like I was an idiot! Not to mention the fact that Emily was not my sister. I was getting sick of that as well!

"Austin, just relax, and feel the electricity. That's all you have to do. _"_ Emily spouted with a lopsided grin. She was obviously enjoying my dilemma.

"I am as relaxed as I can be! If I get any more relaxed I am going to melt! You sitting there staring at me with that creepy grin, isn't helping either! _"_ I shot back. Emily pouted for a second, but quickly went back to grinning. She closed her eyes, and quickly shot a bolt of electricity at me! I jumped back before it hit and stared at her in disbelief.

"What was that for! _"_ I yelled angrily.

"Oh, I'm just trying to motivate you. _"_ Emily teased.

"You aren't motivating me! You are really just ticking me off! _"_ I yelled.

"Enough, both of you. You are here to learn, not to fight. Austin, you may not be good at it right now, but I can promise you that you will get better. As for you Emily, there is no need to gloat. You are a fast learner and that is good, but you are not anywhere close to being a fighter. I know Pichu that hit better than you and elderly Magikarp that have more stamina. Be proud of what you have accomplished, but do not gloat. _"_ Clay lectured. I felt really embarrassed that I had yelled like that and was reprimanded for it. Emily had the same embarrassed expression I wore as she stared at her feet.

"I am sorry. It won't happen again. _"_ I muttered.

"You are right, it will not. Emily, I am going to continue training you. Austin, I am putting you into the beginning class. That way, you will have others around you that have the same experience as you. They are mostly newly evolved Pikachu so you should feel right at home. _"_

"But I thought that you would be the… _"_

"My classes are for those who can use electricity right away. It is rather advanced. You would not be able to keep up. Not until you can control you electricity. _"_ Clay interrupted.

I felt that I had just been smacked with a sledgehammer. Clay had just bumped me down to the beginning class. How was I supposed to tell Devin that Emily beat me? That would just be humiliating.

"Emily, don't tell Devin. _"_ I begged.

"I know how he can be. I promise, that I won't. _"_ Emily replied with a smile.

"I will take him to the beginning class then we will continue our lesson. _"_ Clay said to Emily, beckoning for me to follow.

 **Devin's POV**

"This is really boring. _"_ I whispered to Hope as the lessons went on.

Watching someone pretend to try an eat someone else loses its flair when they are doing something over and over again. Half the class was either falling asleep or were playing with the grass. I was with the half playing with the grass. I twirled a blade of grass with my paw, and sighed.

"Hope? Are you ok? _"_ I asked after a few minutes of near silence. Still not getting a response, I looked over at the miniature dinosaur. Her eyes were wide open in a glazed over look. _"_ Hope? _"_

I scooted next to her quietly and poked her. She didn't move. I poked her again, trying to make sure she was alive. I got my response through her lying down; on top of me! I squeaked as I tried desperately to get out from underneath her. Then I heard a very light snore! She fell asleep with here eyes open! How anyone can do that, I have no idea!

"Hope! Wake up! _"_ I whispered, praying that she would wake up. Instead, all I got was more light snores.

"Ok class, thank Elweard, Adad, and Anil for showing you all of those techniques. _"_ I heard Aurelia say. There were several "thank you's" that resounded around me. _"_ Alright, now everyone, we will be going over to the berry patches for meal time. Everyone be sure to stick with your buddy so you don't get lost. _"_

'Crap, Hope please wake up!' I begged in my mind.

"Devin? Are you ok? _"_ Ell asked as she walked up to me. Hope was still using me as a pillow, and there was no way I could make something up.

"What does it look like? Hope fell asleep and now I'm her pillow. _"_ I wheezed.

"Oh, well why don't you just shock her a little? That's what my parents do when the need me to wake up. _"_ Ell suggested.

"I don't know about that. It might hurt her… and me. _"_ I replied.

"Don't worry about that, silly. You should be fine as long as you are careful. Besides, you don't want Mrs. Aurelia to find out that you were goofing off in class. She would not be very happy. _"_

"Alright, I get the point. _"_ I muttered.

I thought deeply about getting Hope off of me. I tried to make myself worked up, remembering that was how I shocked myself the first time. Soon, there was a light tingling spreading through my cheeks. It didn't take long for me to start feeling uncomfortable. Thankfully, the uncomfortable feeling released shooting small sparks through me and Hope. I didn't get hit to bad this time so, Hope got the brunt of the damage, which wasn't much. She shot up off me, faster than a farmer that heard a fox in the hen house.

"Devin, what was that for? _"_ she asked irately.

"You nearly suffocated me. _"_ I said with a glare.

"Discuss this later. We need to catch with the class before they realize that we are missing. _"_ Ell said as she waved us on. I shot daggers at Hope as we scurried to catch up with the group.

"Children, please be careful while you play. If anyone gets hurt, I would have to sit with them for the rest of class. I am sure you wouldn't want that. _"_ Aurelia said as Ell, Hope, and I caught up with the rest of the group.

"Devin, do you want to come play with me and some of my friends? You can choose the game. _"_ Ell asked the instant Aurelia finished talking.

"I don't think so. I am not really the playing type. _"_ I responded carefully. I wasn't going to be here very long so I didn't see any reason to make any friends.

"Are you sure? If you are wanting Hope to play she uh, she can play too! _"_ Ell pleaded desperately.

"Come on, Devin. It sounds like fun. _"_ Hope said with a gleam in her eye.

"Alright, fine, but only for a few minutes. _"_ I caved.

"Don't worry! you'll love my friends. They are great! _"_ Ell yelled enthusiastically as she bounded toward a small group of Pichu.

"Gee, thanks Hope. _"_ I muttered.

"You need to relax. You are always tense. Just have some fun for a change. _"_

"As if you know me like the back of your hand. _"_ I retorted.

"Just because I haven't been able to talk to you, doesn't mean that I couldn't tell that you were wound up. _"_

"And here I thought that you were something that was to be seen, not heard. When did you get your PhD, Dr. Dino Chick? _"_

"What's a PhD? _"_ Hope asked with a look of puzzlement.

"Forget it. Let's go. _"_ I replied rolling my eyes.

 **Austin's POV**

A crowd of Pikachu were brawling on the ground a few feet in front of me and Clay. Two Raichu, stood off to the side. Watching the small group. They cradled their heads in their paws as if they were suffering from migraines.

'This is going to be a long day.' I thought as one of the Raichu approached us.

"Clay, please tell me that you came to help. _"_ the Raichu practically begged.

"My schedule is rather busy. I just came by to drop off a new student. _"_ Clay said dismissively.

"Please! Not another one! I can't even get them to behave! _"_ moaned the Raichu as he pointed at the group of roughhousing Pikachu.

"I remember a time when you were the exact same way. In fact, you were worse than they are. _"_ Clay smirked.

"Clay, please. Help me. These… these Pikachu are just Pichu in older bodies! They don't listen, they don't pay attention, and they don't care! I signed up to teach, not to babysit! _"_

"Terrance, you signed up to teach, but you need to learn first. Do you know any of their names? What kind of personalities do they possess? What do they already know? What do they need to work on? Those are a few things that you must learn. You teach through learning. _"_ Clay lectured.

"Yes sir... _"_ Terrance murmured.

"You have to forgive Terrance. Today is his and Luka's first day as teachers. They are still quite young and don't have the experience yet to understand how to handle a class. _"_

"If they are new, why are they in control of their own class? _"_ I asked nervously.

"We let them learn on the job. They are given guidelines and a few objectives they have to complete in order to become full fledged teachers. They must learn a way of teaching that the newly evolved Pikachu can learn from. _"_ Clay responded.

"I think I understand. They learn while we learn. _"_

"Exactly. Now, I am going to leave you in Terrance and Luka's very capable paws. Who knows, maybe you will teach them a thing or two. _"_ Clay said as he headed back in the direction we had come from.

 **Emily's POV**

Since Austin had left, I had been able to figure out several more ways to shoot my electricity. It was so easy that I couldn't believe I had trouble with it the first day! I practiced forming electrical balls and shooting lightning bolts for a good half an hour before Clay returned. I was excited to show him and hoped that he would teach me how to use them more effectively since my aim was still somewhat atrocious.

I worked on target practice for a little while, shooting at small rocks. I missed for most of the shots, but I was slowly improving.

"Emily? _"_ a voiced called, startling me. I loosed as small lightning bolt that I had been charging out of surprise. It flew and nearly hit Clay!

"Clay! I am so sorry! That was a total accident! _"_ I exclaimed.

"It's alright, I am used to being shot at. _"_ Clay chuckled. _"_ Actually, I have been watching you for the past ten minutes or so. I am impressed. You are quite gifted. _"_

Clay's praise caused me to blush. Though I don't think he noticed since I am covered in fur. _"_ I was really just experimenting. _"_

"I see. That doesn't change the fact that you were very good. Watching you gives me a good idea of what we need to work on as well. _"_

"Clay, thanks for teaching me. _"_

"It is my honor to teach a friend of Mew. _"_ Clay replied.

 **Devin's POV**

Ell was hard to keep up with. We played several different games. Some were extremely human, like tag and hide-n-seek. Others were obviously Pokémon. One such game was called Sparky. There were two teams. Each had five Pichu. The object of the game was for one team to completely eliminate the other team by shocking the players on the other team. In a sense, it was like dodge ball without any boundaries. Since this was a strictly electrical game, Hope had to sit out and just watch. I would have just sat with her and watched, but Ell wouldn't have it.

"Please will you stop chasing me! There are plenty of others playing! _"_ I yelled as I dodged yet another small jolt of electricity.

The Pichu that had been badgering me since the game started, turned out to be Ell's older brother. He didn't approve of me being around with his sister and decided that he had to protect her. The problem was that I didn't want anything to do with his sister. I was here because I was forced to be, not because I wanted to be. Of course, I wasn't able to convince him of that.

"Why should I? I don't like you. _"_ the Pichu replied.

"Pic, leave him alone. He hasn't done anything to you. _"_ Ell said from the side lines. She had been hit earlier in the game.

"Shut up, Sis. I don't like him and I don't want him around you. _"_ Pic said.

"Dude, I don't know what you are thinking, but I wouldn't hurt your sister. Heck, she was just trying to make me and Hope feel welcome. _"_ I said, trying to talk some sense into the mouse.

"I don't care. My sister is not going to be friends with a predator, or anyone who is friends with a predator. _"_ he replied fervently.

'There is no talking to this guy.' I thought as I finally decided to give up. 'If anything, I should try to put him in his place.'

I jumped up and dashed away from the other Pichu. He chased me just as I thought he would. He was quickly gaining on me. Seeing as how I was new to running on all fours, that didn't really surprise me. I then quickly stopped in my tracks and allowed him to overshoot me. I chuckled to myself for a second as I concentrated on building electricity. Once I felt that I had enough, I shot it toward him.

To my utter dismay, the bolt arced back zapped me. It stung but didn't hurt too bad. Pic, stared with a devilish grin and began to charge some electricity of his own. Just as he shot it, the same thing happened. It arced back to the source and shocked him.

"You two are both out. Get to your sides of the field! _"_ one of the other Pichus called. I heard Pic grumble a little as he walked to the opposite side of the field. I followed suit, going to my team's side.

'At least he didn't beat me.' I thought smugly.

 **Emily's POV**

"What's wrong with you two? _"_ I asked, walking into the burrow.

"Oh, nothing. I just have a headache. _"_ Austin replied as he laid in his pile of grass. Devin didn't even bother to answer.

"What's wrong with him? _"_ I asked motioning to Devin.

"I don't know, exactly. All I know was that one of the other Pichus was making fun of him and Hope. _"_ Austin replied.

"Who was it? Maybe we should tell Aurelia about this? _"_ I suggested.

"I don't have a clue and Devin won't talk. _"_ Austin shrugged.

"I had a good day today, if that is any consolation. _"_

"I am sure you did. After all, you got to go to the better class while I was stuck with a bunch of new Pikachu. Of course your day was good. _"_ Austin muttered.

His reaction surprised me and actually made a little bit angry, making me forget of the promise I made earlier. _"_ You're just jealous because you couldn't even shoot your electricity. _"_

Of course, Devin heard this and he instantly stopped pouting, eager to hear more. _"_ Austin couldn't even use his electricity? How pathetic is that? _"_

"Shut up Devin! _"_ Austin and I said in unison, causing him to shy away.

We glowered at each other for several long minutes. We were both tense and actually read to fight each other. The only reason we didn't was because Jeffric came through the entrance.

"Um, what are you two doing? _"_ he asked, unsure whether or not to get involved.

"Nothing, I was just getting upset. _"_ He sighed, relaxing.

"I'm sorry. It just felt good to be better than you at something. _"_ I apologized.

"Do I get an apology for you two yelling at me? _"_ Devin asked mockingly.

"We're sorry for yelling at you. _"_ Austin said. Devin's mouth dropped opened, obviously not expecting a serious apology.

"Now that everyone has kissed and made up, what was that all about? _"_ Jeffric asked.

"Austin and I were taking an evaluation test for Clay, the Pikachu that would be teaching us. Austin was placed with the beginners while I was placed with the intermediates. _"_ I explained.

"I got mad since I wasn't as good or better than her. _"_

"Ok, so what about Devin. I sense there is something he isn't telling everyone. _"_

"All I could get out of him was that he had someone who was picking on him and Hope. _"_ I said.

"From what I can tell, Devin made a friend and her older brother doesn't approve of her hanging out with him and Hope. _"_ Jeffric answered.

"It really isn't any of your business! I can take care of my own problems! And, I don't appreciate you reading my mind. That is an invasion of privacy! _"_ Devin yelled hotly.

"You probably shouldn't do that. You might find some disturbing things in there. _"_ Austin smirked.

"That was so funny, I forgot to laugh. _"_ Devin deadpanned before breaking out into a smile and laughing.

 **Teresa's POV**

The sound of laughter was a welcoming noise from within the burrow. I felt for sure that it would break out into a full blown argument. One that I would not be able to stop. I smiled a little taking comfort in the fact that Devin and Austin were finally starting to get along; if only a little.

"Teresa, what's going on in there? _"_ a certain Lucario asked as he slunk toward the burrow. He looked absolutely exhausted.

"Austin and Devin are getting along. _"_ I said quietly. Then it occurred to me, Elweard was supposed to be meditating the whole day. I shot him a suspicious glare. _"_ And where have you been? _"_

"Whoa, hold on now. I was planning on meditating, but Baraq asked me to do some demonstrations with some of the teachers. After that, I ended up sparring several of the teachers so they could see how well their training holds up to mine. _"_ Elweard replied quickly.

"I'll let you off the hook this time, but next time you better let me know where you are. You know I am very protective of my kids. _"_ I threatened.

Elweard smiled. _"_ Yes ma'am. You are just like an old mother Blaziken. _"_

"You better believe it. _"_

I hope y'all enjoyed the chapter. If you have anything to say, be sure to leave a review or PM me. If y'all are enjoying the story, be sure to smash that favorite/follow button. This is shieldliger001 signing off.


	12. Chapter 12

Hey guys. I am sorry this is so late, but I have a perfectly good excuse. I lost my computer. I didn't get it back till Monday. I am just glad I got it back. I can't tell you how stressed I was. Anyways onto the reviews!

Average Pichu: Both actually. I thought it fit Blaziken pretty well lol.

* * *

 **Illusion is needed to disguise the emptiness within.**

 **Arthur Erickson**

* * *

 **Chapter 12**

 **Devin's POV**

I sat in Baraq's Den. Ell's brother, Pic, sat to my left. Baraq towered over me and Pic. His gaze was stern. I shrunk down a little under his glare. He made me extremely nervous.

"Devin, tell me what happened. Don't tell me a lie. Just tell me your side of the story. _"_ Baraq said slowly.

"Well, it started last week, a few days after we first came here. _"_

 **Flashback**

"Leave me alone! _"_ I yelled as Pic followed me around. He decided that it was funny to tease me and pull pranks on me after we got out of our classes.

"Come on, I am just messing around. _"_ Pic replied, sarcasm leaking from his voice.

"You and I both know that you aren't messing around. You're just being a jerk! _"_

I began to walk off, but Pic didn't drop it. He followed me around, calling me names and constantly badgering me. He only stopped when I made it to the burrow.

 **Present**

"That's not true! I did not make fun of him at all! _"_ Pic yelled.

"Pic, you are in enough trouble as it is. Devin, keep going. _"_

"As I was saying before I was interrupted... _"_ I began.

"Devin, you are in the same trouble Pic is in. Don't make it worse on yourself. _"_ Baraq reprimanded.

"Yes sir. _"_ I muttered.

 **Flashback**

Pic was making me miserable. He was constantly hounding me. I thought about telling Austin and the others but I didn't want to look weak. So, I kept my mouth shut.

The next few days got even worse and my only respite was when I stayed near Hope. Pic wasn't too keen on messing with her.

While I hung out with Hope, Ell would come and hang out with us. This only made things worse for me as Pic hated watching his sister playing with me and a "Predator". Finally, he built up the nerve and came at me and Hope.

"I told you to stay away from my sister! _"_ he yelled as he jumped at me.

"Pic! Leave Devin alone! _"_ Ell yelled, as she tried to pull her brother off of me.

"Shut up! You don't know what you are talking about! You will not be friends with someone like him! _"_ he yelled.

"You don't know anything about me! Why are you constantly badgering me? _"_ I yelled.

"Because, you are friends with the likes of her! _"_ Pic yelled back.

"Why, you little! _"_ I yelled as I leapt at him.

Pic broke free of his sister's hold and we collided, and began fighting. We were rolling on the ground, not even bothering with our electricity. Before things could become really violent, I felt myself lifted into the air. I looked around and saw Aurelia holding me.

"What are you two doing! _"_ she asked coldly. I glared at Pic who was being held by one of the Pikachu helpers.

"He started it! _"_ we both said pointing at each other.

"I don't care who started it. It is done. You both are going to be sitting with me while everyone else has recess. _"_ Aurelia replied heatedly.

Everyone was having fun while Pic and I watched. Hope was getting along with just about everyone now, except for Pic's friends. They mostly stayed away from her, not wanting to get "eaten" or something. Either way, I was the only one having problems.

Ell came over several times, but Aurelia sent her away. Ell was extremely upset. She sadly glanced at us throughout the day, but didn't make in other attempts to come over here.

"Psst, Lunch Meat! Hey, I'm talking to you! _"_ Pic whispered.

"I don't care. You got us in trouble! _"_ I whispered back through clenched teeth.

"I did not! You were the one who attacked me! _"_ Pic said, his cheeks sparking.

"After you tackled me! _"_ I retorted feeling my cheeks begin to spark as well.

"Boys, you better not be talking or you will be spending tomorrow's recess with me as well. _"_ Aurelia warned, not even turning to check on us.

"If you want me to leave you alone, then you have to prove that you aren't weak. Meet me near entrance of the colony tonight. _"_ Pic whispered.

"Why would I even think of doing that? _"_ I asked suspiciously.

"Because, you hate the names I call you, you hate the things I do to you, and you want to prove yourself. _"_ he grinned maliciously at me as he listed the reasons.

I knew that it was a bad idea, but I just couldn't pass up the opportunity of putting Pic in his place. _"_ Fine, I'll be there. _"_

 **Present**

"If you knew it was a bad idea, why did you go? _"_ Baraq asked.

"For one, I was tired of being picked on. I was also curious about what Pic had planned. _"_ I explained. _"_ That brings us to last night. We stood in front of the entrance... _"_

 **Flashback**

The darkness covered the colony like a blanket. I was standing in front of the entrance, waiting. Pic hadn't shown up yet and I was starting to think that I was just being played. Suddenly, there was slight rustling sound behind me. I spun around only to find Pic.

"For someone who hangs out with predators, you sure are jumpy. _"_ he said in a low whisper.

"Of course I'm jumpy. I nearly stepped on my brother's tail and I had to get away from Jeffric and Elweard because they can read minds and whatnot! _"_ I whispered back irately.

"Whatever, let's go. _"_ Pic replied, rolling his eyes as he dove into the hole that served as the entrance. I cautiously followed him.

 **Present**

"What did y'all do when you got outside the colony? _"_ Baraq asked.

"I don't know what Pic had planned. We were interrupted shortly after we got outside. _"_

"By Ell. _"_

"Yes sir. _"_

 **Flashback**

"What are you two doing out here? _"_ a hushed voice asked as we cleared the brush covering the colony entrance. We both spun around to face the voice. Ell stepped out of the shadows and into the dim moonlight.

"Ell! What are you doing here? _"_ we whispered.

"I saw you sneak out of our burrow, so I followed you. _"_ she shrugged. _"_ I answered your question. Now, answer mine. _"_

"I… we… he was going to prove that he wasn't weak. I told him that was the only way I would let him be your friend. _"_ Pic mumbled.

"More like you are going to try and scare him into not wanting to be my friend. I already know what you are going to do. _"_ Ell said bitterly.

"W-what? I w-wouldn't do that! _"_ Pic denied.

"Oh yeah? Come on out guys! _"_ Ell called, a little louder than I would have liked.

There were soft rustlings in four different directions. Four other Pichu emerged and I easily recognized them as some of Pic's friends.

"So, what was the plan? Get me out here, then beat me up? Was that it? _"_ I demanded. Pic nodded in defeat.

"Let's get back home. I will be telling Mom and Dad later. _"_ Ell said as we headed back toward the bush.

"Go Arcanine! Stop those Pichu from escaping! _"_

My heart stopped beating as I heard the order. I didn't even think before I broke out into a dead run. I almost made it to the bush; then the bush erupted into flames.

"We're cut off! What are we going to do now! _"_ one of the other Pichu yelled.

"Good Arcanine! Now use Fire Spin to trap and weaken the Pichu!"

Most of the Pichu manged to dodge, but Ell and I couldn't move out of the way fast enough. The vortex rose high into the sky. I quickly began to cough as the fiery vortex sucked out the oxygen.

"Ok, Arcanine, get back!" I heard as I drifted off into unconsciousness.

 **Present**

"When I woke up, I found myself back at the burrow. Austin and Emily were extremely mad and they walked me over here to see you. How did I even get back here? _"_

"Ell told one of her friends what was going on. Ell told her that if she wasn't back in a few minutes to go get the head guard. She did and we managed to interrupt the capture. You were very lucky that you are not a slave to the now, you will go back to your parents. You both worried them to death. _"_ Baraq said. We nodded and he led us back to our respective burrows. I thought what Baraq said about our "parents" was weird, but figured that it had just been because of the long night.

"Devin! What happened in there? _"_ I heard Ell cry. I rolled my eyes as the Pichu flew past both Emily and Austin and nearly trampled me.

"Ell, calm down. Baraq asked me about what happened. I think that I have to go back a little later to hear Pic's side of the story though. I swear that he is going to lie about everything. It would be just like him to do that. _"_ I said bitterly.

"I know that Pic can be a little controlling and very obnoxious, but I think he was trying to protect me in a twisted sort of way. _"_

"I don't see it, but if that floats your boat, I'm all for it. _"_ I replied.

"What's a boat, and why are you for it? _"_ Ell asked.

"A boat is something that floats on water and takes people places. What I said was just an expression. It means that if something makes you feel better than I'm all for it. _"_ I explained.

"You are good at making up stories. Maybe you should learn from the elders when you grow up. Then you would be able to learn all sorts of stories! _"_ Ell replied excitedly.

"It wasn't a story, it was an expression! _"_ I exclaimed.

"Whatever you say. Do you think your parents will let you come and play with me? _"_ Ell asked with glittering eyes.

"Um… I guess I could ask, but they aren't my... _"_ I began, but was quickly cut off.

"Then hurry up! I don't want to play all by myself! _"_ Ell practically screamed.

"Alright, alright, I'll ask. _"_ I muttered as Ell began pushing me toward the other room.

To my surprise Austin and Emily didn't have any problems with me going with Ell. Since we came here. We had been pretending that I actually listened to Austin and Emily. In reality though, we fought just about as much as always, so I guess I shouldn't have been as surprised as I was.

Ell immediately grabbed me and began pulling me toward the exit. I tried squirming out of her grasp, but she held on with all of her strength. She was practically dragging me, until we made it outside.

"What was that for? _"_ I asked as I stood up and brushed myself off; a rather fruitless endeavor.

"I didn't want you chickening out like you always do. _"_ Ell replied with a shrug.

"As if I _always_ do that. _"_ I said, shaking my head.

"You do. Hope even says you do. _"_

"No I don't! _"_ I replied defensively.

"Oh, yes you do. Everyone who knows you knows that you don't like to play very much. _"_

"Yes, and there are a lot of people that know me. _"_

"You have lot's of friends. Me, Hope, Pic, Spark, Bolt, Lec. _"_

I laughed scornfully as she listed Pic. _"_ Your brother and I hate each other. You remember what happened last night? Even you said that Pic did that just to scare me away. _"_

"Devin, I know what I said. I said that I followed you two out there last night because I knew that you two had been wanting to go out there for over a week. You chickened out and Pic talked you back into it. If you ask me, you both were being stupid. _"_

My mouth dropped open. _"_ You didn't say that! _"_ I yelled.

"Yes I did. Jeez, Devin. When will you start taking responsibility for your actions? You and Pic wanted to go exploring. You ran into a trainer and you nearly got yourself and everyone else caught. _"_

"But, last night you... _"_

"Devin, just stop. Let's play and have a good time. I don't want to argue. _"_ Ell interrupted. _"_ Come on. The others are waiting. _"_

I thought that everyone was just being forgetful or something, but it seemed that everyone was forgetting the same exact thing. How could everyone forget that Pic hates me? Something was up and it was scaring the crap out of me. I tried to forget about my worries while we played but something was off and I had no clue what it was.

"What's wrong with you? _"_ Hope asked as we walked. Ell's parents came to get her and Pic after a few hours. And everyone else began to leave shortly after.

"Haven't you noticed that everyone is acting strange? _"_ I asked.

"Of course everyone is acting strange. My mom and I are predators. I walk into view and everyone gets a panicked look on their faces. _"_ Hope said with an annoyed frown.

"That's not what I meant. Pic isn't hating me. He is mad but it sounds like he is mad that I didn't back him is acting like Me and Pic are best friends. Austin and Emily didn't gripe me out. They were mad but Austin didn't yell nearly as much as I thought he would. There is something wrong. I just can't figure out what it is. _"_

 **Third Person POV**

"The local police have sent all of their K-9 units in to assist with the search, Taylor." Joe said walking into the large tent that doubled as the Special Investigations Unit headquarters.

"Good, that should speed things up a bit. Did you get anymore samples?" Ralph asked as he sipped on a mug of black coffee. The taste reminded him of how life really was.

"Not yet. The annual training statistics show that this particular patch of forest rarely has any Pikachu in it." Joe replied glumly. Taylor couldn't blame the kid. Joe wasn't used to field work. Despite being qualified for it, Joe was not an outdoorsman. The kid could barely take care of himself in the city as it was. Not having the modern convince of his lab put Joe into a bad mood most of the time as well. Ralph normally would have left Joe in his lab, but this time he thought that Joe would be more useful if he was nearby.

"I guess Wilder was right. The scent is pretty much gone. If that is the case, then those K-9 units will be useless." Ralph said with a grunt. Ralph Taylor wasn't the type of person to waste time and people on something if there wasn't some evidence that said time and people would be useful.

"I wouldn't say that. Scents can take anywhere from five hours to a month to fade, depending on the amount of traffic an area receives." Joe said with a sincere smile.

"Get back to work Joseph. Lord only knows how many other jobs you are getting out of because you are out here." Taylor huffed.

"Yes my lord. I, your lowly servant, will return to my duties." Joe replied with a mock bow.

"Shut the trap and get back to work, Snyder." Taylor barked. Joe slunk away and left Taylor alone. Taylor smiled a bit. Joe may have an overly childish nature, but he was still part of the team.

 **Austin's POV**

"I don't know, Elweard. I just don't know. Why would Devin go out into the forest like that? _"_ I asked the Lucario as we walked around the colony.

"He is a child, and children do childish things. Master Jeffric said that as Devin became more attuned to his situation, he would start acting out like this. _"_ Elweard replied.

"I know that, but there is something else. I remember, when I was ten years old, when Devin had run away. He was fourteen at the time. He wanted to go to some concert, but he was grounded. My parents panicked when they found the note and called the cops. They found him the next day. He went to the concert and was going to stay with one of his friends. _"_

"Are you afraid that Devin was trying to do the same things as he has in the past? _"_ Elweard asked.

"I don't know. He has always been hard to read and even harder to predict. One minute he is relatively happy the next he is angry at everything. _"_

"He sounds like he needs to be in a human mental institution. _"_ Elweard smirked.

"He isn't bipolar. He just doesn't think things through. Then, he gets mad when things don't go his way. _"_ I replied.

"You are his brother Master Austin. There is a bond between brothers that no one can explain. You as a brother need to be there with him. _"_

"Yeah, I know, but he just doesn't listen. We aren't home. This place is more fantastic and dangerous than home could ever be, but he treats it like a joke. _"_

"Austin, you are not hearing me. Go and just and be a brother. _"_ Elweard said.

"Alright, I'll go. Jeez, you really know how to make a conversation go all tense. _"_ I said.

 **Devin's POV**

I sat in my "room" and waited. I don't know what I was waiting for, but I waited nonetheless. I thought about the weird things that had happened. Ideas and explanations flooded my mind, but I tossed out most of them. I held onto a few, even if they seemed impossible. This world defied the logic of my world so it was hard to tell which ideas were plausible and which ideas were not. All knew was that I had to get out of the colony.

"Devin, are you in here? _"_ I heard Austin call. Seconds later, he popped through the entrance.

"What do you want? _"_ I asked with a huff.

"I just wanted to see how you were holding up. _"_ Austin said, sitting next to me.

"Are you sure that is it? _"_ I asked suspiciously.

"Yeah _…_ well actually I just wanted to… screw this, what in the world were you thinking? What you did was stupid! It was beyond stupid! You could have been killed or captured or... _"_

"Or abducted by aliens, or turned into a pile of goo. A lot of things could have happened, but they didn't. You are the most infuriating person I have ever known. Ever since we got here, you have been too cautious. If I do one thing that you deem too dangerous, you panic. _"_ I interrupted. _"_ I didn't go out there because I wanted to. I did it to prove that I wasn't a coward. That's something that you wouldn't know a single thing about The moment the going get tough, you turn tail and run! _"_

"Even as a Pichu you have a big mouth. You don't know what kind of dangers there are out here! There are things that can kill you just because you looked at a hole in their back! The only thing I want is to protect you, because you are my brother, and a sorry excuse of one at that! That is more than you have ever done for me! _"_ Austin yelled back.

My temper had reached its max. Sparks were flying around me. My anger caused the sparks to fly out, instead of arching back and striking me. _"_ Maybe I wasn't there because I didn't see any reason to help a loser like you. I want to be there for those with backbones, not for ones that run to mommy every time they get a scraped knee. _"_

There was a long pause. The only movement was a light draft that pushed some of the grass from our beds around the room. _"_ Fine, just go. I have had it. You are impossible to live with. _"_

"Where would you like me to go? _"_ I asked with a hidden smirk. I had won part one.

"I don't care where. Anywhere you want, just not outside the colony. Despite what you think, I don't want you dying. _"_ Ka-ching, bet number two has been won.

"Fine, I'll stay with Pic and Ell. I'm sure they won't mind. _"_ I yelled as I sprinted out of the den.

 **Hope's POV**

"So I take it that it didn't go too well. _"_ I said as Devin came out.

"Worked out better than I had expected. _"_ I replied. _"_ After what happened earlier, I can't believe I didn't see it sooner! _"_ Devin yelled excitedly.

 **Flashback**

We walked closer and closer to the exit of the colony. I was starting to worry. I saw Devin's intent as clear as day. He was trying to sneak out!

"Devin, why are we here? We just got you back! _"_ I exclaimed quietly.

"I'm testing something. _"_ Devin responded. He began walking closer to the exit. He had stopped sneaking now and was at a full paced run. He was about halfway to the exit before two Pikachu jumped in front of him.

"Whoa there, where do you think you are going? _"_

"Hey, Adad, isn't this the kid that was with Master Mew? _"_

"Anil, I think you are right. This is that kid. What are you doing, kid? Don't you know that it is dangerous to go out there? _"_ Adad asked, picking Devin up off the ground.

"I left something in the forest last night. I was just trying to get it back. _"_ Devin whimpered.

"Kid, whatever it is, it is not worth you dying. _"_ Anil said as he placed Devin back on the ground.

 **Present**

"Um, how do you know that the answers are out there? _"_ I asked worriedly.

"Because, that is when the weird stuff started to happen. _"_ Devin replied as we headed to the exit.

"I am starting to worry about you. You aren't making any sense. _"_ I said.

"You said that you were noticing that things were weird too. The weird things started happening when I came back from out there. _"_

"Devin, this is crazy. You can't go out there! It's too dangerous! What if something eats you! _"_ I yelled hoping to convince him to stay where it was safe.

"I can't! I have to find out what is going on and I can't do that by staying where it is safe. _"_ Devin said as he started toward the exit. _"_ Are you coming or not? _"_

 **Devin's POV**

"Well? Are you coming? _"_ I asked again.

"No, and I can't allow you to go either. _"_ came Hope's reply.

"What? _"_ I asked.

"I cannot allow you to leave this colony. _"_ Hope replied.

Hope looked directly at me. Her eyes began glowing a deep red. She began to move toward me slowly. I backed up slowly, trying to have a little distance between myself and Hope. Hope was walking toward me slightly faster now. I continued to back up, but I ended up backing into something. I looked behind me to see that I had backed into someone. It was Austin.

"Austin! She is trying to kill me! _"_ I yelled.

"I said that you couldn't leave the colony. _"_ he said coldly. His eyes flashed the same deep red.

I took off and ran for the exit. I looked around and there were Pokémon coming out of everywhere. All of them had the same red eyes. As soon as the exit was close enough, I dived into the opening. I barely made it through. Before I could celebrate my victory, a pair of arms plucked me from the ground. It was Baraq. The large Raichu hoisted me in the air by the scruff of my neck and began to carry me back to the colony. I squirmed as hard as I could but his grip only tightened. I stopped struggling, accepting the fact that I had been captured. Then Baraq's tail swung into view. Baraq was carrying me backwards with my face facing the exit. Baraq's tail swung within reach. I chomped down on his tail. Baraq let out a howl and dropped me. I took off as fast as I could down the tunnel.

Baraq didn't attempt to chase me down. I was finally free. I could finally get some answers. The dirt in the tunnel began to feel different. It felt like I was walking on a steel panel. The hollow echos of my small claws clattering on the floor reverberated around me. It sounded as though I was surrounded with an electronic hum as I walked further. There was no light, and nothing to tell me that the exit was close by.

I couldn't get rid of a pulling sensation as I walked. It faded, but I couldn't shake the feeling that it gave me. This was getting really weird and I wasn't sure if I should keep going. This place was giving me the creeps and I wasn't sure what to do.

The pulling sensation returned and this time it felt as though it would rip my body apart. I collapsed on the ground. The sensation completely over coming my ability to move. A bright light encompassed me. I screeched out as the pain of being pulled apart overwhelmed me.

"Devin? Is that really you? _"_ a small voice asked me.

I stirred awake. The pain I felt moments ago was practically nonexistent. I blinked a few times, trying to get used to the bright light. I was on some kind of fabric. I was hit with dozens of scents. Out of all the scents, I only recognized one.

"Ell? Where are we? _"_ I asked.

"I don't know. Devin, how did you get out of there? _"_ Ell asked out of shock.

"Out of where? _"_

"You just got out of that Pokéball by yourself! _"_ Ell exclaimed.

"Pokéball? _"_ I asked.

"Devin, haven't you realized yet? We were caught by a trainer! _"_

* * *

I really enjoyed writing this chapter. I hope y'all enjoyed the plot twist. I hope everyone will have an amazing Thanksgiving. If you are enjoying the story, be sure to smash the favorite/follow button. If you have anything to saw be sure to leave a review or PM me. This is shieldliger001 signing off.


	13. Chapter 13

Hey guys! I know it has been a long time, but I here I am! To be honest, there has been a lot going. I got a new job and I started a YouTube channel. So that's the reason I haven't published a chapter recently. I hope none of you thought that I had died or something lol. Anyways on to the reviews!

AveragePichu: That's me! Always trying to surprise my readers! I hope I didn't spoil the game for you. If I did, I'm sorry.

* * *

 **When a Piece or Pawn is in a situation to be taken by the enemy, it is said to be en prise. To put a piece en prise, is to play it so that it may be captured.**

 **Howard Staunton**

* * *

 **Chapter 13**

 **Devin's POV**

My world came crashing down around me. I shook my head in disbelief. I may not have been a Pokémon fan, but even I knew that being caught meant the Pokémon had to follow the person that had caught them.

"Devin? Are you ok? _"_ Ell asked.

"No, I'm not ok. This can't be happening! It can't be! _"_ I yelled.

"Devin, we will get through this. I promise. We will get through this. _"_ Ell soothed.

I stared at the other Pichu for several seconds before looking away. I felt completely hopeless. I was separated from my family, again. The hopelessness began to transform. It began to burn into a raging inferno.

'I am done being the victim. I will not give in to this anymore.' I thought angrily.

"My name is Chase. Now that I have introduced myself, I think you two should meet my other Pokémon." the young man who captured us said.

He pulled out two more Pokéballs, rubbing each one lovingly. He tossed the first one gently. When the blinding light ceased, a large Arcanine stood in front of us. The dog took up the majority of the free space in the room.

"Well, it's good to see that you two are up and about. How are you feeling? _"_ the Arcanine asked with a friendly smile.

"Have you ever had somebody close to you die? _"_ I asked coldly. The Arcanine nodded slowly. _"_ That's how we feel. _"_

I had caught the Arcanine off guard with my jab. _"_ I'm sorry you two feel that way. I hope that you will change your minds as we travel together. Anyways, my name is Cane. It's not the most creative name, but it suits me nicely. What are your names? _"_

"I'm Ell, and this is Devin. _"_ Ell replied politely.

"Why did you tell him? He has no right to know our names! _"_ I asked furiously.

"Devin, we are never going to get home. Do you know where we are? Or, how far away we are? Do you even know which direction we went? _"_ I slowly shook my head to each of Ell's questions. _"_ Then you might as well accept the fact that we got caught. I don't want to be a trainer's Pokémon anymore than you do, but we can't change anything. _"  
_ I felt helplessness seeping into my spirit once again. Before it could overcome me, I shoveled it onto my fire of anger. Smoke billowed inside of me as the flames were stoked with more fuel.

"If you want to just give up, than fine. I for one will not go along with this quietly. _"_ I replied.

Cane stared at me with a grim look. He paced over to me and began to study me. I froze with terror as the gigantic predator poked and prodded me.

"You are a strange one. I have never seen a Pokémon that wanted to resist the trainer who had captured them. _"_ Cane said once he finished his examination.

"That's because I'm not... _"_ I began however I quickly stopped thinking of what could happen.

"You're not what? _"_ Cane asked curiously.

"I'm just not your average Pokémon that's all. _"_ I mumbled.

Cane didn't seem to buy it, but he was sucked into his Pokéball before he could say anything. I let out a sigh of relief. That relief was short lived because Chase had thrown out his second Pokéball. A ginormous, bipedal lizard was spat out of the ball. It had a dark gray body with purple and red on its belly. It had a long whip-like tail. Its menacing eyes were a deep purple.

"Well, well, well, I guess I get to have a little snack. Neither of you are very big, but any morsel is better than no morsel. _"_ the large lizard spoke as it licked his maw.

"Sal, they are not to eat." Chase warned.

"Boss, I was only kidding. _"_ the lizard hissed, though I was sure he was not.

 **Austin's POV**

"We looked everywhere! We can't find them anywhere. They aren't in the village anymore." Aurelia said as we continued to search.

"They aren't in the colony anymore. _"_ Emily mumbled.

"I know. Let's go. Get Jeffric, Teresa, and Elweard. We are going after them. _"_ I said.

"You can't go out there! It's too dangerous! _"_ Aurelia objected.

"He is our brother. We are going after him!If you don't want to help than that's fine with us. We will find him and Ell. _"_ I replied.

"I can't stop you from leaving, but then again, you were only staying temporarily. _"_ Aurelia sighed.

Baraq and his brothers walked with us to the entrance. They weren't thrilled about our departure, but wished us good luck. We thanked them for everything. Once we made it through the tunnel, Barack and his brothers left leaving us to the outside.

"So, where do we begin? _"_ Emily asked.

"Elweard? Do you sense anything? _"_ Jeffric asked.

"No, Master Jeffric. Devin was captured in a Pokéball. There is no way for me to track him. However, I can track the trainer that caught him. _"_ Elweard answered.

"Do it. We don't have any time to waste! _"_ I exclaimed. Elweard nodded and set to work.

 **Emily's POV**

We walked through the forest for several hours, but really didn't find anything. I was beginning to tire, but I didn't want to rest since we had no clue how far away the trainer could have gone. We traveled a while longer, before Elweard stopped directly in front of us.

"Someone is following us. _"_ he growled.

"Can you tell what it is? _"_ I whispered.

"It feels familiar. You two go to Teresa. Get between me and her that way if something attacks, than you won't be the first targets. _"_ Elweard ordered. I began to protest, but Elweard shot me a menacing look.

Rustling began to be audible from directly behind us. I looked at Jeffric, but he seemed completely at ease. Elweard and Teresa, however, looked like they were gearing for war. Elweard crouched down low; his teeth glistened as his lips pulled back in a menacing snarl. Teresa also crouched down, but in more of a defensive manner.

"Wait! Don't attack! It's me! Pic! _"_ a quiet voice squeaked. Elweard relaxed as did the rest of us.

"What are you doing here? You should be at home with your family. _"_ I said.

"It was my fault that Ell and Devin got caught. I am going with you. _"_ Pic said while crossing his arms.

"Guys, we better take him back. _"_ Austin replied glumly.

"I told you that I am not going back!I want to find my sister and that's final! _"_ the little Pichu yelled.

"Look, it is way too dangerous for you to come with us. Besides, what about your parents? They are going to miss you. _"_ I said.

"They won't miss me. After Ell got captured, they disowned me because I was the one who was responsible. I'm not considered a part of the clan anymore. _"_

"That is beyond harsh! I swear that I am going to strangle Baraq when we take you back. _"_ Austin growled.

"Master, we should not take him back. That is a law that goes beyond a single clan. If we take him back they may kill him. _"_ Elweard replied quietly.

"What? _"_ Austin and I said in unison.

"Many Clans have tabooed going out of the perimeter of the clan territory without permission. Members who are caught leaving the clan are warned first, then are banished on their second violation. It is how most clans have survived from being caught by trainers. _"_ Elweard explained.

"What about Aurelia? We met her outside the clan. _"_ Teresa asked. _"_ We didn't have such a rule in our herd. _"_

"She is a teacher as well as a scout. A lot of teachers in the clan had other responsibilities as well. _"_ Elweard shrugged.

"Great, just another brat we have to watch. _"_ Austin muttered.

 **Devin's POV**

"What are you? _"_ I asked the strange lizard.

"Me? I am just an average Salazzle. One that my trainer is torturing because I can't eat either of you. _"_ the lizard said as he smacked his lips.

I backed further into the bed a crouched down. The lizard smirked. He looked away, then, in a flash, he jumped at me and Ell. I nearly had a heart attack as did Ell. The lizard hissed which I took as laughter. Chase sighed and returned the Salazzle to his Pokéball.

"Sorry about that. Sal likes to scare newcomers. He's been like that since we moved from Alola. I actually just started on my second Pokémon journey so I left most of my other team at my house. One of you will be going with my brother. He is going to be a trainer in a month. I figured that a Pichu would make for a good present. We will start heading that way once the nurse says that you both are alright." the boy smiled.

"Great _…_ One of us is going to be sent with a brat. This is just going from bad to worse. _"_ I muttered.

"I guess this is going worse than I thought. _"_ Ell agreed.

"All we can do is try and resist the best we can. You know, maybe we can try to run away! _"_ I suggested.

"How do you suppose we do that? This place is like a fortress! _"_ Ell said motioning to the room we were in.

"We wait for them to let us out of here. Then when it is night time. We try to escape the Pokéballs during the night and we get as far away as possible! _"_ I exclaimed.

"I guess it's better than being used by a trainer for the rest of my life. Let's do it!Oh, wait, how do out get out of the Pokéball? _"_

"I forgot, you were let out. What do you see when you were inside the Pokéball? _"_

"The clan mostly. _"_

"Just go through the entrance and you should be able to break out. _"_ I replied.

"Ok, I will. _"_ Ell nodded.

 **Joe's POV**

"Taylor!" I yelled as I searched for the boss. It wasn't necessary for me to be running since the camp was small, but my excitement had overcome me.

"Snyder, what has gotten into you?" Taylor asked with a stern gaze.

"Sir, one of the K-9 teams! They found a fresh scent trail! couldn't be more than an hour old. I think we may have found them!" I exclaimed.

"Well, its about damned time." Taylor said. He grabbed a jacket that sat on a nearby table.

 **Austin's POV**

"I am having a really hard time being optimistic here. _"_ I said as we walked past acres of trees.

"I still have a strong trail of aura to follow. We will find your brother. _"_ Elweard reassured me.

"Elweard, how does the whole aura thing work? Is it like smelling people or what? _"_ Emily asked.

"It could be described as following ones scent. However, it has several stark differences. Aura does not fade for quite some time. A scent disappears depending on the conditions of the environment. Aura is used for just about everything such as healing, battling, and tracking. _"_ Elweard explained.

"I hope Devin is alright. _"_ I heard Hope say from her mother's pouch.

"I'm sure he is fine. That boy gets into a lot of trouble, but he always seems to get out of it. _"_ Teresa replied.

'I wonder how long that is going to keep up? Our luck is going to run out sooner or later. When it does, we will be in for a world of hurt.' I thought.

"Everyone run! _"_ Elweard yelled snapping me back to reality.

Seconds later voices of people could be heard as they bumbled through the brush. It only took us a second to kick things into high gear. We had come too far to be caught now.

Somehow, as we ran, we began to get separated. I first noticed this when Emily and Jeffric had disappeared from behind me. The next ones to go missing was Teresa and Hope. Then finally Elweard, too, had disappeared. I slowed to a stop to catch my breath and to let my thoughts catch up with me as well.

"Hey! Help me! I'm lost! Austin, Emily, Elweard! Anybody! _"_ a pipsqueakish voice called out.

"Pic, stop yelling. I'm over here. _"_ I yelled as I rolled my eyes. I quickly ran to the source of the yelling and found a wide eyed Pichu staring at me.

"Austin! What happened to everybody! _"_ he yelled.

"I'm sure they are fine. Just keep calm. _"_ I replied.

 **Emily's POV**

"Jeffric! Where did everyone go? _"_ I asked as we slowed to a stop.

"I don't have a clue. What do you want to do? _"_

"I don't think we can stay around here. We don't know who those people decided to chase. _"_ I replied.

"So where do we go first? _"_

"You're a psychic, right? Why don't you just track the others? _"_ I asked.

Jeffric chuckled nervously for a second then said, _"_ I don't really know how. You see I used to be human, like you. Unlike you, I have a billion more abilities to learn how to use. I barely know how to fight and how to use the less advanced techniques. _"_

"Well, great! I don't have a clue about how to track anyone! _"_ I yelled out of frustration.

 **Elweard's POV**

"Teresa, where are the others? _"_ I asked calmly.

"I don't know. They were right behind me. _"_ Teresa replied, worry leaked from her voice.

"It will be ok. I'll start tracking them. With any luck they won't have gone too far. _"_

 **Austin's POV**

"Pic! Shut up! _"_ I yelled as we trudged through the woods. We continued to move forward; thinking it best since going back could mean running into those people again.

"But, everyone could be waiting for us back there! _"_ Pic whined.

"Or there could be humans back there. Would you like to end up like my brother and your sister? _"_ I stated. Pic shut his mouth and started to follow me.

My senses stayed sharp as we walked. I listened for any sign that Elweard and the others were near by. An hour passed without a sign that we were getting closer to the others. On and on we went. The forest was unnaturally quiet. There were no birds singing or bugs chirping. The forest just had a deathly silence.

"Pic, stay behind me, I think there is something coming. _"_ I whispered. Pic shuffled behind me and locked his eyes onto the woods in front of us.

 **Emily's POV**

"Come on, we have to make it to the edge of the forest. _"_ I said.

Jeffric and I disagreed on every decision we had to face. I wanted to go north. He wanted to go west. I wanted to run. He wanted to walk. The bad part about it was that he didn't argue. That alone grounded on my nerves. He just acted very agreeable then told me that I was being stupid by adding in some comment of things we should do instead.

"I know that we must hurry, but I think we would be more effective if we slowed a little and searched more thoroughly. _"_ he said.

"Look, I told you this earlier; if we stay for too long, then those people could catch us. Do you want to live the rest of your life inside one of those Pokéballs? _"_ I asked.

"Of course not. You are right, we should hurry. I just hope that we don't go the wrong way or we run right past them since we aren't going to be looking for them too hard. _"_ the Mew dismissed.

'Sometimes I really hate him.' I thought as I rolled my eyes.

"I heard that! _"_ Jeffric replied with a goofy grin.

"Jeffric, can I ask you to do something for me? _"_

"What is it? _"_ the Mew asked all serious again.

"CAN YOU STAY OUT OF MY HEAD? _"_ I screamed in his ear.

 **Elweard's POV**

"Run Teresa! We mustn't get caught! _"_ I yelled as I dodged super heated flames.

"I don't think I can keep up! Just go on ahead! You have to find the others and Devin! _"_ Teresa replied.

Teresa spun around to face our attackers. An Arcanine and a Growlithe stood in front of a human in a police uniform. Teresa charged at the Arcanine with a glowing red fist. The move caught the Arcanine in the muzzle, sending his head, with his body following, to the ground.

"Teresa, if we work together, than we can beat these two. _"_ I pleaded.

"Yes we could, but that would give them time for reinforcements to show up. You must go! I'll be alright! Hope go with Uncle Elweard! _"_ she replied.

She spun around to face me and let Hope jump from her pouch. Using Extreme Speed, I dashed to Hope and grabbed her. Continuing to use Extreme Speed, I easily got away from the scene where the battle was taking place.

 **Pic's POV**

Sure enough, Teresa came stumbling through the woods. She was bleeding and badly hurt. Her eyes fell on us. She smiled lightly, but it faded replaced with a scowl of pain.

"You two must go. Law enforcement is following me. _"_ she whispered.

"Teresa! What happened! Where's Elweard! _"_ Austin asked.

"He is fine. He took Hope and went north. I believe he is looking for some place where he could meditate for a few moments. He used a lot of aura when he was fighting. He needed to gather more before he could track you and the others. Now go before it is too late! _"_

I nodded and started to head the opposite direction but it was already too late. A battered Arcanine stood tall. Next to it stood a Growlithe which only had minor bruises on it.

"Base, this is Officer Jenkins. I believe I found the targets." the man behind the two fire type Pokémon said into a black box.

"Austin, what do we do? _"_ I asked nervously.

"I don't think there is anything we can do. _"_ Austin replied.

 **Emily's POV**

"Jeffric, I think I see someone in front of us. Can you at least see who they are with your fancy powers that you can barely use? _"_ I asked.

"That's not very funny. _"_ Jeffric deadpanned.

"I don't care. Can you do it or not. I can't tell who or what it is through all of this brush. _"_

"Yes, I can do that. _"_ Jeffric huffed.

"Then get hopping. We don't have all day. _"_ I demanded.

Jeffric closed his eyes then opened them again. He smiled and started to float toward the creature. I walked slowly behind still being cautious even though Jeffric had thrown caution to the wind.

"Elweard, we are glad to see that you are alright. _"_ Jeffric said with a welcoming tone of voice.

"Master Jeffric. It is good to see you as well. Unfortunately, I have some bad news. The police is out in the forest in droves. Teresa stayed behind to let me and Hope escape. She wants us to find Devin and the others before we attempt to rescue her. _"_ Elweard said.

My heart dropped the moment I heard Elweard finish speaking. Austin and Pic was lost somewhere and Teresa had been captured.

"What do we do? _"_ I asked.

"We must look for Austin and Pic first. If we can find them then we go get Devin. Rescuing Teresa will be the hardest part, so we can plan while we find Austin and Pic, and rescue Devin. _"_ Elweard replied.

 **Pic's POV**

Austin and I were placed in cages and taken to a large structure made with huge, white leaves. Once inside, I noticed that there were at least three or four humans sitting in front of large electrical boxes. The boxes had strange colors dancing on their faces. One box showed a human trapped inside. I shivered at the image and watched as the human was banished into darkness.

"Where are we? _"_ I asked with a whimper.

"We are inside a police tent. _"_ Austin replied quietly.

"What is a police and what's a tent? _"_ I asked, more curious than afraid now.

Austin seemed to think for a moment before opening his mouth to answer. He didn't get to answer though since a tall, old human approached us.

"So, these are two of our shape-shifters. I'm Ralph Taylor, the senior agent of the SIU. Which one are you? Are you Devin, or Austin."

"How the crap did you know who we were? _"_ Austin yelped in surprise. The shocked look on his face would have been priceless had the situation been different.

"Well, at least we know that you are one of those two. If you were wild then you wouldn't have reacted the way you did just now." the human walked to a strange structure with four legs and a long, flat surface. He picked something up and walked back toward us. _"_ I figured neither of you were Emily, since you are both male, but that begs the question; where is your sister and the man that helped you escape CWSA custody. I would assume that you four got separated when my officer came across you. You were looking to escape the woods before we found you. Am I right? _"_

"What is he talking about Austin? _"_ I asked nervously. Austin looked at the ground and started to shuffle around.

"There were originally six of you. A Kangaskhan, a Lucario, Two Pikachu, a Pichu, and a Mew, I believe. The Kangaskhan and Lucario almost certainly are your Pokémon, but the Mew is a mystery. At first, we believed you to be a part of Team Rocket, but since you are with a Legendary such as a Mew, that theory is pretty much shot. Since the Rocket theory has been practically blown out of the water, the idea that you can change between human and Pokémon is also shot, meaning the Mew did this to you." Taylor said. He seemed to remember something then turned to look at one of his subordinates. "Snyder, did you get the machine fixed?"

"No sir, it blew a fuse when I tried setting it up. I might be an hour before I can find which fuse blew out." the man, Snyder, replied.

"They couldn't just give me a psychic type." Taylor muttered. "Get Wild to return here and tell him to bring his Kadabra. It will be faster than getting that stupid machine to work."

"On it boss." Snyder stopped working on the metal box he was at and walked to a second metal box. It flickered on and the same human that was trapped inside was summoned once again. "Hey the Boss says to get back and bring your Kadabra."

"Alright, I'm on my way." the human replied.

 **Devin's POV**

I waited inside the Pokéball for what felt like an eternity. When I was certain that I had waited long enough, I began to make the trek to break out of the Pokéball. The second time through was nowhere near as difficult as the first time. There were no guards, there were no friends or family. In fact, the entire colony looked eerily abandoned. I made it the tunnel and ran to the end. Just like before, the sound of machinery filled the air. The flashing red button of the release button flashed brightly in the darkness. A press of the button later and I was transported back into the real world.

"Crap. _"_ I muttered as daylight shone down on me.

"You must hate the Pokéball or something. It has only been ten minutes since we left the Pokémon Center." a slightly startled Chase said as he bent down and picked me up.

"Great, you can't tell time worth a crap in those stupid things. _"_ I said angrily to myself.

"If you want, you can ride on my shoulder until it becomes dark. In fact, why don't we let your sister out as well!" Chase suggested.

"She is not my sister! _"_ I yelled as I shot sparks out my cheeks.

"Are you mad at her?" Chase asked worriedly. I shook my head no and crossed my arms. "Is it something I said?" I nodded vigorously. "Is it your sister?" I gave off a loudish growl. "Oh, she isn't your sister!" Chase finally understood.

"It's about time you stupid idiot!" I scowled.

"Sorry, I won't call her that again. I caught both of you together so I assumed that you were siblings. I didn't know you were mates or something. I thought that Pichu waited till they were adults before choosing mates."

I nearly died right there. I felt like my heart had turned to lead and I nearly passed out. My cheeks began to spark, not out of anger, but out of complete and utter embarrassment.

"Is there anyone in this world that doesn't just assume things! _"_ I yelled angrily. _"_ Read my lips, WE ARE JUST FRIENDS! _"_

The sparking in my cheeks increased significantly and turned into a full fledged electrically release. I shocked Chase within an inch of his life while shocking myself in the process.

"I… think I u-understand now." Chase muttered as he collapsed to the ground. "You two were just friends."

"C-congratulations… captain obvious. You… finally get it. _"_ I murmured.

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I hope y'all enjoyed the chapter. I really liked how this one turned out. Anyways, if you have anything you would like to say and ask, be sure to leave a review or pm me! If you are enjoying the story, be sure to smash that favorite/follow. Finally, be sure to check out my YouTube channel. It is called Modern Life and Gaming. It is a gaming channel where I play Call of Duty, Titanfall 2, Battlefield 1, and other great games. This is Shieldliger001 signing off!


	14. Chapter 14

Hey guys! Shield here with another chapter! I really had good feeling about this chapter. It was definitely one of my better ones, I believe. Anyways, onto the reviews.

AveragePichu: Good to know that I didn't spoil it for you. I think you will like what I did for the Salazzle. I like being able to create my own lore. I think I made it believable. Don't worry about not reviewing fast, it is no big deal.

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 **You can make plans but if the opposition plays well, then all your plans become worthless.**

 **David Gower**

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 **Chapter 14**

 **Devin's POV**

I felt dizzy after the, um, incident. A side effect of using so much electricity. I sat unsteadily on Chase's shoulder as he walked through the woods.

It was midday now. The sun shone brightly through the trees and sounds of bird songs flowed sweetly through the air. A light, warm breeze surrounded us as Chase pounded through the trail. The wind, the songs, the light breeze, the small sound of the light footfalls, all made the day seem almost enchanting. The enchantment was interrupted by Chase.

"I hope you will enjoy coming with me. I am not a bad person. All of my Pokémon will tell you that I have treated them well, and that we are team." Chase said.

"What, is this some kind of bonding thing or something? _"_ I said sarcastically. I knew he wouldn't be able to understand me, but I thought it would make the whole conversation go by faster if he thought I was responding to him.

"You don't have to be sarcastic. I was just saying we would make great team. And no, I don't know what you are saying, but you seem to be the type to not be happy with anything."

My mouth dropped for a second, but I quickly recovered. _"_ You expect me to accept that? You took me from my family! I am not going to cooperate no matter how hard you try! _"_ I yelled.

Chase seemed to understand my frustration and sighed. He stayed quiet for the longest time, walking silently through the enchanting woods. I realized that I had hurt him. He didn't know what I truly was. He just wanted to be my friend.

 **Austin's POV**

The man named Wilder walked into the tent several minutes later. He went directly past me and Pic to Taylor. They started to whisper back and forth. Before long, Wilder nodded and threw out a Pokéball, releasing a Kadabra. The Kadabra looked at us and then to its master.

"Kadabra, we need you set up a link for us." Wilder said. The Kadabra nodded and began to glow.

" _It is done, Master."_ the psychic type replied.

"Great, thanks." the man said before turning his attention to us.

"Name." Taylor said gruffly. It was a demand not a question.

" _Austin Lee."_ I said, unable to resist.

"And your name?" Taylor asked.

" _Pic."_ Pic replied more out of fear than anything out.

"Pic? Just Pic? No last name?" Wilder asked.

" _No, what are last names?"_

"So we only have one of them." Wilder whispered.

"The others must be nearby. They wouldn't leave behind one of their own after the lengths they've gone through to stay together." Taylor speculated.

" _They went to save my brother."_ I said uncontrollably.

"What do you mean they went to "save" your brother."

" _Crap, I can't stop! My brother was caught by a trainer. We went after them. That's why you caught us."_ I replied.

"I see. This could work to our advantage." Taylor said thoughtfully as he rubbed his chin. "Get any officer we can spare to the main exits of the forest. Have them search every trainer leaving the forest. I also want every trail, highway, service road, and ditch covered as well. We can't let them escape."

 **Devin's POV**

Darkness was quickly befalling us. I had stayed on Chase's shoulder for the entire day. We had traveled maybe ten miles that day. That was a pretty impressive distance considering all of the breaks we had taken.

Chase began to set up camp, noting that the walk had tired him. He set out to build a fire and some other things. While he worked, he released Ell and the other Pokémon.

"Devin! Where are we? _"_ Ell asked as soon as she saw me.

"Just somewhere near the edge of the woods. _"_ I replied with a shrug.

Ell hung her head and sat down. Next to me. I began to comfort her, but I didn't really know what to say.

"I know it must be hard for you to be taken from everything you have known, but it will get better. It has for me." a voice that sounded much like a snake said.

"Sal is right. He more than anyone knows that. _"_ Cane confirmed.

"How do you know? You just want to eat us. _"_ I said with a glare.

Sal looked hurt as if someone had stabbed him. He came closer causing me to tense up a little, but then sat down not far from us.

"My species is a very strange one. Males aren't allowed to evolve from our base forms to Salazzles. If one does, they are immediately killed by the heads of the… uh… community. It is how they keep total control over the groups. When I evolved, the female of our group immediately tried to kill me. She was about succeed had it not been for Chase. He scared them away and then took me to a Pokémon Center. I apparently surprised everyone at the center because they wanted to run test after test on me. Chase put an end to that and took me with him. At first, I thought that I was a freak, that I needed to be punished for being a freak, but every time I tried to leave, Chase would stop me, not with a Pokéball, but with words. _"_ Sal said.

I felt a pang of guilt bubbling in my gut. I looked away from the lizard and toward Ell. She appeared to have the same feelings of guilt as I did.

"I'm happy that you finally found what makes you happy, but we don't belong here. We had no reason to escape, nor did we have any desire to do so. We were caught in the wrong place at the wrong time. _"_ Ell said as I nodded in agreement.

"Like Sal said, It can be hard to leave, but it is worth it. The adventure is something that you will be able to pass down to your children." Cane added.

"We'll think about it. This is a lot to take in. _"_ I murmured.

"That's all we ask. _"_ Cane replied.

 **Emily's POV**

"The Trainer's aura is becoming stronger. He is just up ahead. _"_ Elweard announced as we snuck through the woods. It was a moonless night, making it hard to see. Elweard could see fine as did Jeffric, but I was totally blind.

"Jeffric, I have an idea. Why don't we bring Brand out now. He can light the area up a little bit; just enough for him for me to see where we are going. _"_ I suggested as I stumbled over a rock.

"Use your electricity. _"_ Elweard said.

"I can't. It is extremely hard to use when you are tired. _"_ I replied irately.

"That might be wise since you have been making the most noise. _"_ Jeffric agreed. A purple portal opened. He reached inside and pulled out a the old fashioned Pokéball that held Brand. Seconds later, Brand was outside.

"Where am I? How did I get here? _"_ Brand panicked.

"Brand, quiet down! _"_ I ordered, hoping he wouldn't give away our position.

"Who are you? What did you do with Emily? _"_ the Cyndaquil kept asking.

"I _am_ Emily, just quiet down or we'll get caught. _"_ I whispered.

"She is telling the truth, Brand. Now light up the area a little so Emily can see. _"_ Elweard ordered.

"A-alright whatever you say Elweard. _"_ Brand stuttered. He lit up the area just a pinch allowing me to see where I was going.

We crept forward until we hit the edge of a clearing. In it was a tent and a campfire. The trainer sat outside with his Pokémon and Devin and Ell.

"Now we wait. _"_ Elweard stated.

"No dip, Sherlock. _"_ I replied.

 **Devin's POV**

After Sal finished his story, he curled up next to the fire and went to sleep. Chase saw this and went inside his tent and zipped up the door. Cane marched into the middle of the camp fire and laid down. That, to me, seemed stupid at first, until I saw that it wasn't hurting him. Ell snuggled next to me.

"We can leave now. _"_ I whispered.

"And go where? We don't have a clue where to go. _"_ Ell replied.

"I don't know. Just someplace away from here. _"_ I said.

"That's not good enough Devin! We can't leave without knowing where to go. _"_ Ell whispered.

"Do you want to stay trapped with him forever? _"_ I asked.

"No... _"_ Ell replied.

"Then let's go. Right now. _"_ I said resolutely.

"Just give me one more day to think about it. _"_

"We may not have one more day. _"_ I muttered.

"Let's get some sleep. _"_

"Whatever. _"_

 **Emily's POV**

The campsite was directly ahead. The fire was somewhat smothered by the Arcanine that laid in it. There was a strange lizard Pokémon sleeping nearby the tent. Then, I noticed the tent was being unzipped. A boy about fifteen stepped out and picked up the two Pichu. He smiled softly and took them into the tent and zipped it up again.

"That just made life so much harder. _"_ I muttered.

"Indeed it did. _"_ Elweard replied.

"Leave it to me. _"_ Jeffric answered. He floated forward a tad then disappeared from view.

 **Jeffric's POV**

Cloaking myself, I easily got close to the tent. What was hard was getting inside without making a lot of noise or being detected. I could try phasing through like a ghost type, but humans are unnaturally adept at knowing when a ghost, or ghost type is nearby. Eventually, I decided to use my psychic abilities to keep the tent from moving. I then grasped the zipper and opened the tent.

To my dismay, I found that Ell and Devin were placed into Pokéballs. The two Pokéballs lay on the floor of the tent next to the human boy. I probed the Pokéballs and found the one that housed Devin. I grabbed the ball and headed back outside.

"What do you think you are doing? _"_ a voice growled.

"You don't want to fight me. Move. _"_ I demanded.

"You try to steal my Master's Pokémon and you tell me to move? _"_

"You don't know who I am, do you. I am a Mew. Now stand aside. _"_

"I don't care if you are Arceus himself. You will not take them my from my master. _"_

"That is the problem with your kind. You are too loyal for your own good. _"_ I sighed. _"_ Very well, I will destroy you. _"_

The Arcanine roared, waking up the entire forest. The trainer came out of the tent and noticed the Mew had a Pokéball.

"Hey! That's mine! Cane! Sal! Stop him!" the trainer yelled.

The Salazzle jumped up and ran at me with superhuman speed. I flew up high to avoid the snapping jaws of the lizard. I saw Emily and Elweard bolt into the clearing, evening up the numbers. I was thankful for that since I really couldn't fight. I fought hundreds of battles as a human, but only a handful as a Pokémon.

Elweard used Extreme Speed on the Salazzle since he was the closest target. Emily, who spent the last week training, shot a Thunder Bolt at the Arcanine. The Extreme Speed knocked the Salazzle away and the Thunder Bolt struck home on the Arcanine. Elweard was at a disadvantage. He was part steel type which was weak against both of his opponents. The Salazzle was at an equal disadvantage since he was weak against fighting types.

The battle progressed rapidly. Emily had jumped on top of the Arcanine and was riding him like a bucking Tauros. Elweard and the Salazzle had been battling it out with neither one really getting the upper hand. Seconds later, Emily was tossed into the air she flipped head over tail several times. She tried to right herself, but to no avail. The Arcanine jumped up and caught her in his mouth. Emily quickly reacted by shooting a bolt straight into his mouth. Electricity coursed through his body, causing him to drop Emily and sending him into a small seizure. Emily got up and limped away; her leg impaled by the Arcanine's large teeth.

Elweard's stalemate was finally broken when he landed a Power-Up Punch in the Salazzle's gut. The lizard reeled back as Elweard followed it up with a Close Combat, then with an Aura Sphere. The Salazzle fell to the ground and didn't get back up.

Emily was fairing much worse. She couldn't move at all with her injured leg. She was breathing hard and having a difficult time staying awake. The Arcanine, however, was not in a bad condition. He was actually fairly healthy compared to Emily. He was partially paralyzed and had blisters where the Thunder Bolts hit but other than that, he was ok.

The Arcanine stalked toward Emily, just about to finish her off, but the trainer ordered him to go after Elweard. The Arcanine snarled and turned his attention toward the Lucario.

"Alright Cane, let's do this!" the human yelled as he began to perform a series of moves that almost looked like dancing. The Arcanine seem to burst with a mysterious aura. Then the boy yelled. "Inferno Overdrive!"

"Everyone! Get out of the area! _"_ I yelled as the move began.

Fire enveloped the Arcanine. A few seconds later, he took off aimed at Elweard like a bullet. Elweard didn't have time to react as the Arcanine impacted. It was like watching a nuclear detonation, except on a smaller scale. The area around the two Pokémon became a white, hot bubble. The bubble expanded nearly triple it's starting size engulfing everything within fifty feet. Then, everything flashed white as the move concluded.

The Arcanine stood tall, but Elweard was on the ground. His fur badly singed and his skin charred. Elweard had been knocked out. His breathing shallow.

Knowing I had to do something, I raced to the trainer and got straight into his face. He was shocked by my reaction, thinking I would run away after watching my "bodyguards" fall. I then used the one move I had perfected. I shot a wave of psychic energy into his face. The blast wasn't harmful. Instead, it lulled the trainer into a deep slumber. He collapsed to the ground, snoring softly.

"Mew! You son of a… _"_ the Arcanine began. He quickly fell to the ground as he was hit with the weak paralysis spell from Emily's earlier attack.

I floated over to the dog and cured him of his paralysis. He tried to lunge at me, but I hit him with my Hypnosis attack. He too fell to the ground. I went to work healing my two friends soon, they were up and about again, though they were extremely tired.

I then went on with my second task. I began replacing the memories of the Pokémon and human. They would think that they were dreaming about tonight. I made sure that each one's dream was different, then I stole away into the forest.

 **Emily's POV**

"That could have gone better. _"_ I muttered as we trudged through the woods. Brand stayed by me. He had been crying when he saw my leg during the battle. After it ended it took all of my strength to convince him that I was fine.

"At least we got Devin out. _"_ Elweard replied.

"Yes, but I was hoping to get him out without waking the entire forest. _"_

"Let's get him out and decide what to do about Austin. _"_ I suggested. The others nodded in agreement.

"Alright. _"_ Jeffric said. He enlarged the Pokéball and opened it.

"Emily! _"_ Devin yelled happily as he lunged at me. He hugged me tightly, obviously not wanting to let go. When Devin finally did let go, he blinked a few times and looked at all of us. He smiled at us, but then his smile faltered. He seemed to be looking for someone else.

"Austin and Teresa is not here. They were captured by the police. We are going to save them right now. _"_

"Where is Ell? _"_ he asked, seemingly not hearing what we had just said.

"Ell? She is back with the trainer. _"_ I said slowly.

"You left her there? How could you have done that? She was my friend and you left her with that trainer? _"_ he yelled.

"We could have gotten to her, but then what? She couldn't have gone home, she is considered lost to them; her brother too. They would have no place to go. _"_

"They could come with us! _"_ Devin yelled.

"How would they have reacted when they found out that you are actually human? Tell me, does Ell resent the trainer that captured her? _"_

"She hates him. _"_ he whispered ever so slightly.

"Exactly why we can't take her with us. Maybe in the future, if you meet again, we might be able to do it, but right now she would only resent you. _"_ I replied.

Devin was going to reply, but he deflated. He sagged, a tear glistening in his eye. I had misjudged how much this would hurt him. He had acted so tough the entire time we had been here. Now he was crying like the little boy he now was.

"Let's… let's go get my brother. _"_ he said softly. I hugged him tightly. He seemed surprised at first but he relaxed and threw himself into my embrace.

 **Devin's POV**

"How do you think we are going to get to Austin, Teresa, and Pic? _"_ I asked a little while later when the tears ran out and my eyes had dried.

"We sneak in there, get them out, then lie low till they give up. _"_ Jeffric said smiling confidently.

"That's stupid. _"_ I muttered.

"Devin, it is the plan that we all agreed on. _"_ Elweard said.

"That doesn't mean that it's a good plan. You want to waltz right smack dab into the middle of an enemy base camp. _"_

"Then w-what, do… do you think w-we should do? _"_ Brand stuttered.

"Make me human. _"_ I replied simply.

"Excuse me? _"_ Emily and Elweard said at the same time.

"You heard me. They are looking for Pokémon now. They wouldn't expect me to come willingly as a human, especially as a human. I get in and get out. That's all it will take. _"_

"No, that's insane, we aren't doing that! _"_ Emily yelled.

"If you go in there the way you want to then I will let them catch us. That would happen any way you look at it. _"_ I replied.

"Fine, I will turn you back if that is what you want, but I don't think it is a good idea. _"_ Jeffric said. He received several surprised looks.

"I will need you to bring me some clothes and Austin's phone I am going to need it. _"_ I told Jeffric.

"Alright, let's go behind those bushes there. _"_ Jeffric suggested. I nodded and followed him.

 **Austin's POV**

I sat inside the cage and stared at the Kadabra. I had gone into some sort of trance and hadn't moved since the interrogation. I had been feeling uncomfortable ever since they had released him, but now I felt like I was being crushed by his presence. I looked over at Pic. H had fallen asleep during the interrogation. A good thing since we had been discussing events that had happened while we were human.

"You are troubled. _"_ the Kadabra spoke, his voice devoid of all emotion.

"No this is a beach vacation. Why would you think otherwise? _"_ I replied.

"Sarcasm will not help you. Just tell the police what they want to know. _"_

"I thought you were some kind of mind reader. Just read my mind if you want to know so bad. Not like I could stop you. _"_ I retorted.

"It would be wrong for me to invade your mind. Besides, I have tried already. You have a very strong will. It will take time for me to break through the barriers you have erected. _"_ the Kadabra smiled.

"Good to know. _"_ I muttered.

Suddenly a new sound caught my attention. There was some shouting coming from outside. Dawn had just broken shedding a tad of light when the wind blew the door open. Every once in a while, I would see forms of people rushing about. Even with all of the hustle outside, the shouting was something I recognized.

"Devin? _"_ I muttered. It was not the voice of a Pichu. In fact, It wasn't the voice I was expecting at all.

 **Devin's POV**

The moment I stepped onto the base camp, my arm was grabbed by a police officer. I yelled for him to let me go, but he held on. He kept trying to calm me down, but I wouldn't allow it. I kicked and screamed as he dragged me through the camp. He took me to a small tent and called for the occupant inside.

"What do you want?" I heard gruff voice called out.

"Agent Taylor, I… ack… found a young boy at the perimeter. Stop kicking me! What should I do with him? Ow!" the officer said as I pummeled him as hard as I could. The tent unzipped and a man stepped out. He looked down at me his eyes locked onto my very soul.

"Are you Devin Lee?" the man asked.

"Y-yeah? Who are you?"

"I am Agent Ralph Taylor. I believe that we have your brother. He is hurt so you can't see him yet, but he will be ok. Where is your sister?" he said, talking down to me like a child.

"Cut the crap. I'm not just some kid who was born yesterday. I want to know where my brother is and I won't be telling you where… my sister is." I replied. It was odd calling Emily my sister since she wasn't actually related to me.

"Well, don't you have a mouth. Your parents should have taught you some respect." Taylor replied, his eyes narrowing.

"They did, but that goes out the window when someone wrongfully takes my brother into custody." I shot back.

"You are one strange, I will give you that. However, that is all you are getting. Your brother has committed a crime, therefore he must be punished by a court of law."

"He didn't do anything!" I yelled.

"The evidence says otherwise. Officer, take him to the command tent. My team will take care of him there."

"Yes Sir. Come on son. Argh! Will you stop kicking me?"

 **Austin's POV**

"Devin? _"_ I asked. I was shocked to see the boy, not a Pichu, come through the tent door. He cast me a cheeky smile then sat in the chair that the officer escorting him pointed to.

"Hey Austin, good to see that you are ok. As you can see, I am taller than you again." he said a little too happily.

"What are you doing here? _"_ I yelled.

"Sorry dude, I don't understand a word you're saying. Jeffric didn't add that feature in when he turned me back." Devin replied.

"Great, you finally get away from the trainer only to be captured by the cops. This day gets better and better. _"_ I said to myself.

"So where is Pic? I heard that he was with you." Devin continued on. I shrugged. He was taken to another tent so I really don't know what happened to him. "Well, we are going to need him in a little while when they release us."

"Kid, nobody will be releasing you. Your brother is in big trouble right now and you will be going back to the CWSA so they can find you a new home." Taylor said as he and Wilder came through the door.

"Whatever you say Grandpa. You do that, than you are going to lose an even bigger bust than us. The CWSA guys aren't as clean as you would think." Devin said nonchalantly.

"What do you know, kid? You are in our custody yet you seem to be the one holding all of the cards."

"Let's just say that I am wiser than my years." he replied with a smirk.

"If only that was true. _"_ I said with a roll of my eyes.

"Shut up Austin, I know you are saying something bad about me." Devin said flippantly.

"So, what is it that you have that has you convinced that we will let you go?" Wilder asked.

"I have this. Your officers really suck at searching suspects. It is a good thing that I didn't have a gun or a knife right now; if I had, someone would be dead. That is a lot of paperwork to fill out." Devin said pulling out my phone from his back pocket.

"You didn't search him?" Taylor growled at the officer behind Devin.

"S-sorry sir, He w-was just a kid. I d-didn't think about it." the officer stammered.

"That's what I get for working with the locals." Taylor sighed while shaking his head.

"Sorry to interrupt the mauling that's about to start, but I think you'll be more interested in this." Devin interrupted. The leader and his second in command shot daggers at Devin who just smiled back innocently.

"Alright kid, show us what you've got." Taylor said.

"Not so fast. First, I want your word that we will be released and free to go. Second, I want you to not put anything into our files pertaining to this incident. Third, I want Pic and Teresa returned to us. Finally, I want you to arrange transport to Celadon City."

"If your info proves useful, than we will see what we can do. If this is just a gimmick, then it is right back to the CWSA. Got it kid?"

"Trust me. This is worth it." Devin smirked.

* * *

I really enjoyed this chapter and I hope y'all did as well. I have been extremely busy lately with work and putting in a fence, and flooring. Remodeling can really suck! Anyways, if you have anything to say be sure to leave a review or PM me. If you are enjoying the story, be sure to smash that favorite/follow button. This is shieldliger001 signing off!


	15. Chapter 15

Hey guys, I'm back! I have been extremely busy lately and didn't have nearly the to work on this as I wish I had. Anyways let's get on with the show!

* * *

 **Of course I'm crazy, but that doesn't mean I'm wrong. Robert Anton Wilson**

* * *

 **Chapter 15**

 **Devin's POV**

I was sitting on a chair waiting for the senor agent to get back. True to his word, the agents had brought Pic back to the tent. He sat next to Austin, who wasn't looking particularly thrilled. For once, I was glad there were other people in the room. I knew that, if there weren't, he would be yelling my ear off. That was the last thing I needed.

It was about two in the afternoon by the time the agents returned. Taylor looked about as thrilled as an angry bobcat while the other one, Wilder, had a smirk plastered on his face.

"Those people from the CWSA called back. They will be here in another twenty minutes. You sure you want to do this kid?" Taylor asked.

"Yeah, I need to. Those guys have been trafficking kids like me for years. It would be my pleasure to shut them down once and for all." I replied.

"Good. There is no going back now." Wilder said. He then muttered, "I can't believe how mature he is."

Several hours had passed and now the sun was high into the sky. I had convinced Taylor to let me keep Austin in the same room, so I held onto him as we waited. The rumbling of a truck could be heard in the distance and I could only wonder if it was them. I rubbed my hands on my shirt and felt the wire that had been taped to my body. I only prayed that the two crooks would actually slip up and say something. I listened intently, trying to discern voices from the everyday bustle. Finally, I thought I heard them.

"The kid's in here. We found him wandering around the woods. I have to admit, I figured you two would be hear much sooner." I heard Wilder say.

"Well, if my darling husband had listened to me. We would have been here earlier." a woman, for sure Crystal, jabbed playfully.

"Did you find the girl and the older boy?" a male voice asked. It had to be Dean.

"No, not yet, but we will find them." Wilder replied.

"Well, at least you found the young one. He needs to be in a good home, not with those horrid siblings of his." Crystal added.

"Couldn't agree more. The kid is good, but he needs some discipline." Wilder replied. He sounded completely serious.

"Well, here he is. Will you need any help getting him to the car? He can be quite a handful." Taylor asked as he opened the door to the tent.

"No, no, that won't be necessary." Dean replied hastily.

"Alright, we will be outside if you need us." Wilder said as he and Taylor left.

Dean turned toward me and leered at me. "You, I should kill you and your siblings. Unfortunately, a bidder wants you pretty bad."

"Dean, not now. Let's talk about this in the car." Crystal whispered.

"Good idea, let's go. You, leave the rat. I ain't having it in my car." Dean demanded, making a grab for Austin in the process.

Austin growled and his cheeks began to spark, causing Dean to back off slightly. Dean the opened the tent and called for Taylor and Wilder. As they came back Austin calmed down and glared at Dean and Crystal.

"I see you two met Devin's new pet. He is pretty feisty so I wouldn't take him away." Wilder said with a smile.

"Does he at least have a Pokéball?" Crystal asked with a frown.

"Not that we know of." Taylor replied.

"Alright, fine. As you can see, he is pretty upset. Give me a few minutes to talk to him and calm him down and then we will be out of your hair." Dean said.

"Alright, but first we will need to have you fill out some paperwork, saying that you are accepting custody of the boy."

"Alright, Crystal, could you handle that? I'll try to calm him down." Dean asked as he pointed to me.

"Ok, I'll be back in a second."

The two agents held the flaps of the tent open and allowed Crystal to walk through, leaving me with Dean. He turned back to me, grinning evilly.

"Kid, you are in a heap of trouble. You are going to wish that you had never met me. When I take you to the bidder, I going to make sure your stay is miserable. Then, I will testify against your brother and make sure that he is sent to a boys home while I swim in my riches."

"Be sure your sins find you out. I always liked how that warning sounds. But, your sins won't just find you, they are going to hunt you down and kill you." I replied.

"You little brat! Get over here. We are leaving!" Dean seethed. He grabbed me by the arm and proceeded to pulling me across the tent.

"Dean, I filled out the paperwork. Let's get Devin in the car and get home." Crystal called.

"Alright, I'm coming Hun." Dean called back.

I struggle like anyone in my situation. I couldn't really help it. I mean it is natural not to want to go up with some who wants to sell you to the highest bidder. It would also look suspicious if I didn't struggle.

Dean dragged me to an extended cab truck as Crystal opened the back door. Dean roughly picked me up and sat me down in a booster seat and strapped me down.

"If you scream or do anything stupid, I will end your miserable life; understand me?" Dean said with a low growl. I nodded in response. Dean started the truck and began to drive away.

 **Emily's POV**

"They took him! They just took him and gave him back to those… those creeps! _"_ I yelled. First Austin and Pic, then Teresa, and now Devin! I was beside myself. I really didn't know what to do other than to run straight for the camp and try to bust Teresa and Pic out.

"Emily! Stop! _"_ Jeffric demanded.

"I have to do something! _"_ I yelled back.

"You will do nothing! Believe it or not Devin is an adult, though he may not look it! He knows what he is doing! You will not jeopardize him in any way! Do I make myself clear? _"_

It was a commandment that he expected me to keep. I tried to argue but Jeffric's glares took all of the fight out of me. I turned back and stared at the truck as it drove away.

 **Austin's POV**

I sat in Devin's lap, glaring daggers at the driver. We had been in the truck for about fifteen minutes and nothing but trees seemed to pass us by. The two up front began to argue shortly after. The wife accusing the husband of being lost. It would have been funny had it been somebody else. Finally they got to the juicy stuff; their plans for Devin.

"So where are we going to meet this guy?" Crystal asked, looking back at us nervously.

"He said to go to the Joyland theme park over in Cerulean." Dean said in return.

"That's smart I guess, lots of children and parents. Easy to mistake a struggling child for a misbehaving one." Crystal replied.

"Yep, though I wonder how he is going to raise a brat like this. He is probably the toughest five year old I have ever seen. That and he won't go along with this willingly. We saw that already."

"I would assume the client would use a psychic type for that. That would be the easiest way to take care of it, I would think."

"Maybe." Dean said quietly. "I think, after this haul, we need to retire, go someplace warm, and drink margaritas. Even with there being no way for the cops to know what we are doing, I don't like this one bit. There is something just nagging me."

"That would be the smart thing to do." Crystal agreed.

"Guess I don't get a say in this." Devin spoke up.

"Devin shut up! _"_ I said.

"Shut up, brat. If I had my choice, you would be in a ditch somewhere!" Dean growled.

"Dean, leave the kid alone. He is just trying to get you riled up."

"Yeah, _Dad_ , I was only joking." Devin said with a roll of his eyes. Dean swatted behind the seat as best he could with one hand, while still trying to drive. He swerved a little, but he missed Devin.

"I said to shut up!"

"Dean! That is enough! He may be a brat, but he is still a child and I will not tolerate you trying to hit him. Do I make myself clear?" Crystal yelled.

"Thank God, for maternal instinct." muttered Devin.

"And you, I don't want to hear another word out of you until we get to where we are going. Is that understood?"

"Yes Ma'am." Devin gulped.

 **Taylor's POV**

"The tracker working properly?"

"Agent Taylor, it is. The signal is loud and clear."

"Good. Alright team, get saddled up and in your vehicles in five. Snyder, I want you in the car with Wilder. I'll get one of the local cops to be my back up." I ordered as he pulled on a Kevlar vest and strapped it on.

"Are we expecting any trouble?" Snyder gulped.

"Not really, but you can never be too cautious." Wilder replied. I wanted to say that we were expecting heavy resistance just to scare the kid, but knew that would be a mistake.

As I turned to leave, I heard my team bustling about. I headed straight for the car and waved for an officer to accompany me. I climbed inside the black SUV and turned it on. These were the moments I lived for.

We followed behind the red pickup for several miles. We were far enough away not to be noticed but close enough to keep up. We stayed on the main highway for quite a while before the truck got onto an exit. We followed easily enough until we had reached the Cerulean city limits. Traffic immediately got worse causing me to quickly lose the truck. I cursed a little as I searched.

"Get on the radio and see if anyone from base camp heard anything on the bug, also check the tracker." I ordered the officer next to me. I nodded and quickly reached for the transmitter.

"Dispatch this is Officer Reynolds, I need to get in contact with Foxtrot base, over." the officer said. The dispatcher quickly switched the line and the base dispatcher responded. The submitted his inquiry and the dispatcher responded with an address. A quick check of the tracker approved of the general direction.

"Voice command." I said instantly.

"Please say a command." the GPS on the dash responded.

"Find place."

"Speak the name of a place."

"Joyland theme park."

The machine processed the name then brought up a list of potential destination. The list was very short as there was only one address displayed. I quickly approved the destination and waited.

"In the next three miles, take Exit 259A." the GPS' robotic voice said.

 **Devin's POV**

The traffic was awful. Even rush hour in Dallas wasn't this bad. I stared out the window for the longest time. Austin sat next to me. He poked me a few times. I ignored him at first, but after a while it started to get very annoying. I looked down at the human turned Pikachu and with an angry glare. He looked at me with a look that read; 'If this works then I am going make life miserable for you.'

"Bring it on." I whispered.

"Call up the client. Tell him that we may be a little late due to traffic." Dean said quietly

"I just sent him a text." Crystal replied.

"Alright, so where do you want to eat afterwards?"

"You only seem to think about your stomach." Crystal stated with a chuckle.

"What can I say? I'm a growing boy."

"Growing fat you mean. Seriously dear, you need to watch what you eat. You aren't as young as you used to be."

"So now you are calling me fat and old." Dean said with feigned offense.

"Well, if the boot fits." Crystal laughed. "You don't get any younger."

The irony in that statement wasn't lost on me.

 **Taylor's POV**

We weaved through traffic as best we could, but it was so bad that we weren't getting anywhere fast. I was getting worried since I still couldn't see the vehicle that Devin was in.

As we neared the exit, traffic began to lighten up. We quickly made it to the exit and on our way to the amusement park.

On our way there, I noticed the truck sitting at a stop light. I breathed a sigh of relief and quickly got in the same lane as the truck.

When the light turned green, the truck turned and we followed. It drove several miles, before it turned into the amusement park parking lot. We drove past the truck and parked closer to the entrance.

The officer with me called ahead and made sure park officials knew what was going on, and to keep all guest inside the park in case things got ugly. We quickly got out of the SUV and slowly made our way to the truck. I got a quick glimpse of Wilder and Snyder also making their way to the truck.

"Stay low and let me do the talking. We don't want to cause them to panic." I ordered.

"Yes, sir." the officer nodded.

I crouched behind a blue car and looked at the truck that we had been tailing. Everyone was still inside, but getting ready to get out. Wilder was behind a car to my left. I told him to hold position via hand signals which he nodded in acknowledgment. The occupants in the car than began to get out.

"Dean and Crystal Sato, you are under arrest for kidnapping and human trafficking! Place your hands on your heads and slowly get out of the vehicle!" I yelled.

The couple froze in place. I quietly signaled for Wilder to move in. He stood up with his gun at the ready and slowly moved forward. The couple now had their hands up, but remained close to the car. Then I heard Wilder cursing.

"What's the matter?" I asked, a million possibilities passed through my head.

"It's not them! These are not the suspects!" Wilder yelled.

"Shit!" I cursed. "Base, we are at the amusement park, but there is no sign of the suspects. Please tell me y'all have some good news."

"They are meeting in the park in an old utility shed stuck in an alley. Devin is giving us hints. It may be a moment before we get an exact location." the base's operator replied.

 **Devin's POV**

I was being dragged through the crowded park. The atmosphere was jovial as kids, teens, and adults bustled about going from ride to ride. I didn't like what was going on. It would be nearly impossible for anyone to find me in these kinds of crowds. I had to think of something fast; some way to let the cops know where I was.

'I'm such an idiot!' I yelled mentally.

"What's that big ride?" I asked, trying to sound innocent.

"The Mighty Python. No, you can't ride it. We are going to drop you off, get paid, then leave." Dean whispered.

"I'm hungry. Lets eat! There's a hot dog cart. Oh! Can we go in the fun house there?" I continued, acting all excited.

Dean continued to drag me through the crowds with Crystal right behind him. I continued to ask seemingly pointless questions. Dean was getting irritated, but Crystal kept him in check. Finally, we reached a chain linked gate that cut off an alley between the fun house and the outer wall. Dean handed me off to Crystal and got to work opening the gate. We slipped inside without being noticed.

"This place is scary. Why do we have to go into a creepy alley? Couldn't we have met inside the fun house, instead of the side?" I asked.

"Shut up, and be quiet." Dean replied as he sat on a nearby crate.

 **Taylor's POV**

"They are in an alley of one of the fun houses. The closest attraction is the Mighty Python roller coaster." the base operator said.

I nodded to the police officer with me and we took off toward the fun house. I relayed everything that had been said to Wilder as we went.

It took five minutes to get into the park and another fifteen before we made it to the alley gate. I took a quick peek to get an idea what to expect. There were three adults conversing there. Devin was standing behind the woman, Crystal. He clung to the Pikachu like it was his only life line.

Dean was handed a brief case by a short, stocky man. Dean nodded as if he was agreeing to something before placing the brief case on a dumpster to the side of a small shed. He clicked it open and began inspecting the contents.

"Wilder, you and Snyder go around and cover any other exits. Officer Reynolds and I will take the front." I ordered. Wilder nodded then took off. I then waited for confirmation that Wilder and Snyder made it to their end.

I took a deep breath and closed my eyes. This part was always difficult. You never knew if you were going to be shot at or if the culprit would just give up. I opened my eyes, then began the routine.

"Freeze!" I yelled as I tossed open the gate and drew my side arm.

Both Dean and Crystal spun around, their eyes wide open. They threw their hands into the air and gave surprisingly little resistance. The short man, however, immediately turned around and ran down the alley.

"Wilder, one of them is heading your way." I said into my walkie.

"Alright boss. Get ready, Snyder."

Several minutes went by. I proceeded to read off Crystal and Dean's rights and handcuffed them. They both seemed somber which they should be.

"Thanks for believing me." Devin said purposefully.

"I was just doing my job, kid." I replied.

"I guess we got too cocky. We never thought that anyone would listen to the kid." Dean said thoughtfully.

"You'll have plenty of time to think about your mistakes later." Devin replied.

"Shut up, kid." Dean muttered.

 **Emily's POV**

"Emily?" I heard. I could scarcely believe what I was hearing.

"Devin... _"_ I murmured in my trance-like state.

"Emily! I know that you can hear me! If you're mad at me, then I'm sorry! I wasn't trying to scare you!" Devin yelled again.

"Yeah right! _"_ I yelled back angrily.

"Um… Emily, I think he's serious… _"_ Brand muttered anxiously.

"I don't care! He didn't tell us what he had in mind! I saw those freaks take him! I thought he was gone forever! _"_ I yelled at the poor Cyndaquil. Brand shrunk back as I yelled.

" _Devin, we are over here."_ I spun around to see Jeffric floating four feet off the ground and waving in the direction that Devin's voice had been coming from.

"Why did you do that? _"_ I hissed.

"Because, you were acting like a child. Devin did what he had to do to release your friends. It may have been dangerous, but he took action when no one else would. Be grateful that he and the rest of your friends are alright. _"_ Jeffric scolded.

"There you guys are. Why didn't y'all say anything earlier?" Devin asked as he trudged through the thickets.

"Why did you go off and scare me like that! _"_ I shouted as I let loose a rather large bolt of electricity aimed directly at Devin.

Devin dove to the side as soon as he saw the bolt charging. It flew by him harmlessly. Jeffric tried to calm me down, but I wouldn't have any of it.

"Emily! I said I was sorry!" Devin screamed as I shot another bolt at him. At this point, I was only trying to scare him as much as he had scared me.

"Miss Emily, I am sorry, but I must restrain you. We would not want you to do anything you might regret. _"_

I suddenly found myself flattened on the ground, I looked up to see that Elweard was on top of me. I instantly began to shock him, but I heard none of the pain that I thought I would.

"You still have much to learn about our world. I am resistant to your electric attacks. _"_ the Lucario said. I huffed and resorted to staring daggers at Devin who sat on the ground, trembling.

" _Besides, I believe that Teresa will be saying a few words to the daredevil when he sees her next."_ Jeffric snickered. Devin's face turned pale.

 **Austin's POV**

The camp was abuzz as people began to pack up the gear. Nobody paid me any heed as I bounded through the camp. Devin had recently come back with Emily and the others, so I was ready to go back to my old self.

I finally found the others near the cage they had held Teresa. Devin was slowly explaining what had transpired. Teresa had a dangerous glower growing on her as Devin reached the parts about being used as the bait. By the end of the tale, she looked as though she was about to blow. Had Elweard not presented Hope to Teresa, I think she would have brought him over her knee.

"It's good to see that everyone is alright. _"_ I said cheerily as I bounded up the rest of the group.

"And what were you doing when your brother was risking his life and future?" Teresa asked, her eyes were dangerously narrow.

"Um, I was, uh, helping him. _"_ I replied slowly.

"Right now you are supposed to be the…" Teresa looked over at Devin who, in return, glared at her, as if challenging her to say what he thought she was going to say. "Responsible one. And you went along with his cockamamie plan?"

"It wasn't like I had much choice. It's not like he understood my protests. Besides, I was in a cage! _"_

" _He should h_ _ave, I made it to where he should have been able to understand any of us."_ Jeffric piped up.

"Is that so? _"_ I said, staring at my brother. I could see him visibly gulp. _"_ When I am back to normal, I am going to end you with my bare hands. _"_

"You won't have to. I'll do it before you! _"_ Emily screeched. Sending off a discharge of yellow energy. She scratched at Elweard who didn't move a muscle. _"_ Elweard get off of me! _"_

" _I think that discipline might very well be a good idea in most situations, but not this one. Whether you like Devin's methods or not, he did get the police off our backs and captured three criminals. That warrants a pass in my books."_ Elweard replied coolly.

"So, what are you going to do with me? _"_ a different voice piped up.

"What am I going to do with you? What does anyone do with a pest?" Devin said coldly. He strode over where Pic stood and picked the little mouse up off the ground by the scruff of his neck.

"You can hurt me all you want. I did cause all of this. _"_

"It wouldn't be worth hurting you. You caused me a lot of pain, but I really don't hate you." Devin said neutrally, all of the earlier anger had simmered to glowing coals instead of a raging inferno.

"Then what are you going to do? _"_

"Why not go with that trainer who caught Devin and Ell? He didn't seem too bad. _"_ Emily suggested. Everyone stared at her as if she lost her mind.

"A trainer? Why would I want to go with a filthy human? _"_ Pic asked.

"Pic, we are human. Would you say that we are evil? _"_ I asked, to which he shook his head. _"_ I can't say that every human is good, because that would be a complete lie, but most of us don't intend harm on our Pokémon. _"_

"Chase is a good guy. He treated me well when I was with him. Besides, your sister is with him. You two would be able to stay together." Devin added.

"I-I'll give it a shot, but if he turns out to be terrible, then I'm out of there and I will hunt you all down. _"_

"I wouldn't expect any different from you." Devin said with a smile.

* * *

I hope that I did alright with the whole police thing. I really don't know much about police investigations except for what I've seen on TV. Even then, most of that is fake. I hope y'all enjoyed the chapter! If y'all have anything to say be sure to leave a review and/or pm me. If you are enjoying the story, be sure to smash that favorite/follow button. This is shieldliger001, signing off.


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